Tinubu Seeks Senate Approval To Deploy Troops To Benin Republic
President Bola Tinubu has written to the senate seeking approval to deploy Nigerian troops to Benin Republic where soldiers almost overthrew the country’s Goverment on Sunday.
Tinubu’s letter was read on the floor of the upper legislative chamber by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary on Tuesday.
He said that the request was in “Pursuant to Section 5, Subsection 5, Part 2 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended.”
“I seek, in further consultation with the National Defence Council, the consent of the senate, for the deployment of Nigerian troops to the Republic of Benin,” the letter reads in part.
Tinubu said the request followed an appeal 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”.
He noted 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 president said “the situation as reported by the government of Benin requires urgent external intervention”.
“Considering the close ties of brotherhood and friendship which exists 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,” he added.
After the letter was read, Akpabio committed same to the committee of the whole “for immediate action”.
On December 7, a group of military officers, in a televised address, announced the takeover of the Benin Republic government.
Hours later, the goverment said the coup had been quashed and that President Patrice Talon was safe.
