Coup Attempt: Tinubu Seeks Senate’s Approval To Deploy Troops To Benin Republic

President Bola Tinubu has asked the Senate to approve the deployment of Nigerian troops to the Republic of Benin following an attempted coup there.

The request was contained in a letter read during plenary on Tuesday.

In the letter, President Tinubu explained that the Government of Benin had urgently appealed for exceptional air support from Nigeria’s Armed Forces after soldiers attempted to overthrow President Patrice Talon.

Citing Section 30 (5) of Part II of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the President informed lawmakers that he had consulted the National Defence Council before forwarding the request.

He noted that Senate approval was now required to authorize a regional peacekeeping mission.

READ ALSO: Nigeria Remains Committed To Regional Stability, Peace – Shettima

President Tinubu warned that Benin was facing “an attempted unconstitutional seizure of power and the destruction and destabilization of democratic institutions”.

The former Lagos State governor urged the Senate to act swiftly. He added that Nigeria has a historical responsibility to support Benin under the existing Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) security frameworks.

According to the President, the crisis demands “urgent external intervention” to help restore stability and prevent further breakdown of order.

READ ALSO: Benin Arrests Dozen Soldiers Over Coup Attempt – Sources

Senate President Godswill Akpabio subsequently referred the request to the Committee of the Whole for immediate consideration.

Benin Republic’s attempted coup occurred on Sunday, when some military personnel announced the removal of President Patrice Talon.

The soldiers who called themselves the “Military Committee for Refoundation” (CMR) took to national television to announce that they had met and concluded that “Mr Patrice Talon is removed from office as president of the republic”.

However, the country’s military thwarted the effort and regained control.

“The regular army is regaining control. The city (Cotonou) and the country are completely secure,” sources close to Talon said. “It’s just a matter of time before everything returns to normal. The clean-up is progressing well.”

The attempt follows two coups in Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau in as many months. Benin is bordered in the north by Niger and Burkina Faso, both of which have also experienced military takeovers.

READ ALSO: Coup Attempt ‘Foiled’, Benin Government Says

In the wake of the attempted coup, ECOWAS said it will deploy a standby force to the area.

“After consultation among members of the Mediation and Security Council at the level of Heads of State and Government, the Chair of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government has ordered the deployment of elements of the ECOWAS Standby Force to the Republic of Benin with immediate effect,” the regional bloc said.

“The Regional Force shall be made up of troops from the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Republic of Sierra Leone, the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, and the Republic of Ghana.

“The Force shall support the Government and the Republican Army of Benin to preserve constitutional order and the territorial integrity of the Republic of Benin”.