By Muhammad Mamman
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally written to the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria seeking its approval for the deployment of Nigerian troops to the neighbouring Republic of Benin, as part of a peace-mission in response to a recent attempted coup in the country.
Tinubu’s request follows a plea from Beninese authorities for assistance after a group of mutinous soldiers tried to overthrow the government, seizing the national television station and a military camp.
Acting on that request, the Nigerian Armed Forces had already deployed air force fighter jets and ground troops to Benin, enabling loyalist forces to regain control and end the coup attempt within hours.
Under Nigeria’s constitution, the President must secure Senate consent before any combat deployment abroad; Tinubu’s letter is therefore a constitutional move to regularise the intervention and ensure legislative oversight.
The Senate now faces a pivotal decision: to approve the deployment and back Nigeria’s regional security role — or to withhold consent, which could complicate the rule and duration of Nigerian forces in Benin.
