- Lawmakers maintained that Nigeria cannot afford to take a passive stance as political tensions rise
- Defence Headquarters is expected to provide a fuller operational briefing in the coming days
- the operation is expected to reinforce peace efforts already under discussion among neighbouring countries
The Nigerian Senate has endorsed President Bola Tinubu’s request to deploy troops to the Benin Republic as part of an urgent regional peacekeeping mission.
Eko Hot Blog reports that senators gave the approval on Tuesday after a brief closed-door session where the president’s communication was reviewed, with Senate President Godswill Akpabio announcing during plenary that the move was constitutionally aligned with Nigeria’s defence responsibilities.
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Lawmakers described the deployment as a necessary intervention aimed at preventing instability from spiralling into a wider regional crisis, citing the urgency of the situation and Nigeria’s long-standing role in West Africa’s security framework.
Akpabio emphasised that the Senate acted without hesitation because the operation is expected to reinforce peace efforts already under discussion among neighbouring countries.
The request, which received unanimous backing, did not include details such as troop numbers, duration, or operational specifics. However, insiders suggest that a coordinated mechanism with regional blocs may eventually be adopted.
Lawmakers maintained that Nigeria cannot afford to take a passive stance as political tensions rise across the subregion, especially with ongoing displacement and the activities of armed groups.
Defence Headquarters is expected to provide a fuller operational briefing in the coming days.
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