Nigeria’s Senate on Tuesday approved President Bola Tinubu’s request to deploy troops to Benin Republic after its neighbour sought urgent help to quell an attempted coup. Tinubu told lawmakers that Benin had appealed for “exceptional and immediate” air support after reporting an effort to seize power and disrupt democratic institutions.
He reminded senators that Nigerian law requires parliamentary approval before troops can operate outside the country’s borders. Benin’s government said on Monday that Nigerian fighter jets carried out airstrikes to foil a mutiny in which soldiers tried to overthrow President Patrice Talon.
Tinubu highlighted Nigeria’s commitment to regional security and its enduring ties of “brotherhood and friendship” with Benin, alongside principles upheld by ECOWAS. He urged lawmakers to move swiftly, noting that Benin shares more than 700 kilometres of border with Nigeria, Africa’s most populous state.
Meanwhile, ECOWAS Commission President Omar Alieu Touray warned that the region is facing mounting crises, including repeated coups and persistent jihadist threats. Touray told a meeting of the ECOWAS mediation and security council in Abuja that “our community is in a state of emergency.” ECOWAS has condemned the attempted coup in Benin and authorised the deployment of its standby force to support stability in the country.