The Senate on Tuesday approved President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s request to deploy Nigerian troops to the Republic of Benin as part of a peace mission to restore democratic order in the country.
The decision followed consideration of the President’s letter in the Committee of the Whole during plenary.
Tinubu, in the letter read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, asked the upper chamber to endorse the deployment after a recent coup attempt in Benin. He explained that the intervention was necessary to support the restoration of governance after a faction of soldiers sought to topple the administration.
The President noted that members of the Nigerian Armed Forces were deployed on Sunday in response to the appeal for assistance from the Beninese authorities.
In the correspondence titled “Deployment of Nigerian troops to the Republic of Benin for a peace mission,” Tinubu cited Section 5(5), Part 2 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), saying the request followed consultations with the National Defence Council.
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The Senate’s approval clears the way for the continuation of Nigeria’s support mission in the neighbouring country.
“This request is made further to a request received from the Government of Benin Republic for the exceptional and immediate provision of air support by the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The Distinguished Senate may wish to note that the Government of the Republic of Benin is currently faced with an attempted unconstitutional seizure of power and disruption and destabilization of democratic institutions.
“The situation as reported by the Government of Benin requires urgent external intervention.
“The Distinguished Senate considers the close ties of brotherhood and friendship which exist between Nigeria and the Republic of Benin, as well as the principles of collective security upheld within ECOWAS.
“It is our duty to provide the support as requested by the Government of the Republic of Benin.”
After reading the letter, Akpabio committed the President’s request for consent to the Committee of the Whole for immediate action.
