Tuesday, December 9, 2025 | The Senate has granted its official approval for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s request to deploy Nigerian Armed Forces personnel and air assets to the Republic of Benin. This decisive action is part of a regional peace and stabilization mission aimed at restoring constitutional order following an attempted military coup in the neighboring West African nation on Sunday.
The approval, which was expedited during the Senate’s plenary session on Tuesday, formalizes Nigeria’s security intervention initiated at the request of the Beninese government.
Urgent Appeal for Air Support
In a letter read on the floor of the Senate by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, President Tinubu sought the legislative consent as required by Section 5(5), Part 2 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The President’s letter stated that the deployment was in response to an urgent appeal from Benin, which requested the “exceptional and immediate provision of air support” from Nigeria’s Armed Forces. This followed the report of an “attempted unconstitutional seizure of power and the disruption and destabilisation of democratic institutions.”
Constitutional Compliance and Regional Stability
Following a deliberation in the Committee of the Whole, the Senate voted unanimously to endorse the deployment. The lawmakers emphasized that the intervention was critical for both regional stability and Nigeria’s national security interests.
“We believe the president has taken the right step. He acted not just in the best interest of Benin Republic, but in the interest of Nigeria,” said Senate President Godswill Akpabio. “This action protects our borders, prevents criminality, and upholds democracy in West Africa. An injury to one is an injury to all.”
Senators argued that a failure to intervene could have led to a severe humanitarian crisis, including a mass influx of refugees and increased security threats along Nigeria’s 700-kilometer border with Benin. The Senate commended President Tinubu for his swift compliance with the constitutional requirement to seek legislative approval for the deployment.
The Senate’s formal resolution will be immediately transmitted to the Presidency, providing full legislative backing for Nigeria’s participation in the regional effort to stabilize the situation and defend democratic principles within the ECOWAS framework.
