Tinubu seeks Senate approval to deploy soldiers in Benin Republic

President Bola Tinubu has requested the approval of the Senate to deploy troops to the Republic of Benin as part of a regional security initiative.

The request was contained in a formal letter read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary in Abuja on Tuesday, December 9, 2025.

The development followed an attempted coup, which was foiled by some soldiers, in the West African country.

The presidency had disclosed that Benin Republic made two separate requests for the intervention of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) and troops in foiling the coup attempt.

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who made this known in a statement issued on Sunday, said President Bola Tinubu, while acting on two separate requests from the government of Benin first ordered NAF fighter jets to enter the country and take over the airspace to help dislodge the coup plotters from the National TV and a military camp where they had regrouped.

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Onanuga said Benin, through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, requested immediate Nigerian air support “in view of the urgency and seriousness of the situation and to safeguard the constitutional order, protect national institutions and ensure the security of the population.”

He said the Beninese authorities, in the second request, requested the deployment of NAF assets within Beninoise airspace for surveillance and rapid intervention operations under Benin-led coordination.

The presidential spokesman disclosed that the Benin government also requested Nigerian ground forces, “strictly for missions approved by the Beninese Command authority in support of the protection of constitutional institutions and the containment of armed Groups.”

The Star