Bola Tinubu secured Senate approval on December 9, 2025, to deploy Nigerian troops to Benin Republic in response to an attempted coup that briefly saw rogue soldiers seize a TV station in Cotonou before loyalist forces repelled them. In a letter read during plenary by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Tinubu invoked Section 5(4)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, citing Benin's urgent request for air support amid threats to its democratic institutions and regional stability. Lawmakers unanimously backed the motion in the Committee of the Whole, framing it as Nigeria's ECOWAS duty where "an injury to one is an injury to all."
The intervention underscores Nigeria's leadership role post-AES exits, aiming to bolster border security against cross-border threats like terrorism and smuggling along the Nigeria-Benin corridor. Akpabio hailed the decision as proactive, with the consent letter transmitted immediately to enable swift action under bilateral and ECOWAS frameworks.
This regional support aligns with Tinubu's Renewed Hope security agenda, expanding joint patrols and counter-insurgency efforts while reassuring Nigerians of measured involvement to protect shared interests.