ABUJA, Dec 9 – Nigeria’s Senate has approved President Bola Tinubu’s request to send troops to Benin Republic after an attempted coup in the neighboring country.
In a letter to lawmakers, Tinubu said that Benin’s government asked for urgent military help, including air support, after soldiers tried to overthrow President Patrice Talon and disrupt democratic institutions. Nigerian law says the Senate must approve any troop deployment outside the country.
Benin’s authorities confirmed that Nigerian fighter jets carried out strikes on Monday to stop the mutiny. Tinubu said the intervention was part of Nigeria’s duty to help keep the region stable. He pointed to the close ties of “brotherhood and friendship” between the two countries and their commitments under the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The president urged lawmakers to act quickly, noting that Nigeria shares over 700 kilometers of border with Benin, so its stability is important for regional security.
Meanwhile, ECOWAS Commission President Omar Alieu Touray warned that the group is facing several crises, including repeated coups and extremist violence. “It is safe to declare that our community is in a state of emergency,” he said at a mediation and security council meeting in Abuja.
ECOWAS has condemned the attempted coup and announced plans to send its standby force to Benin to support the government.
