The Senate has approved President Bola Tinubu’s request to deploy Nigerian troops to the Republic of Benin to help restore stability after last weekend’s failed coup attempt.

The approval was announced on Tuesday by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary, after the lawmakers considered the president’s letter in the Committee of the Whole, in line with Section 5, Part II of the Constitution.

Senators voted unanimously in favour of the deployment, granting full parliamentary authorisation for Nigeria’s participation in the regional security mission. Akpabio described the endorsement as both timely and necessary, warning that instability in any neighbouring country poses a threat to regional peace.

“An injury to one is an injury to all,” he said, stressing that Nigeria is bound by its commitments under the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The Senate is expected to transmit its approval to the president immediately.

In his request, Tinubu noted that Nigeria has a historic duty to support Benin under existing ECOWAS security arrangements, adding that the situation requires “urgent external intervention” to prevent further deterioration.

The attempted coup took place on Sunday when a group of soldiers calling themselves the “Military Committee for Refoundation” appeared on national television claiming to have removed President Patrice Talon from office. Loyalist forces, however, quickly regained control.

Sources close to Talon confirmed that the situation in Cotonou and across the country had stabilised. “The regular army is regaining control… It’s just a matter of time before everything returns to normal,” they said.

Following the failed putsch, ECOWAS announced it would deploy elements of its standby force to Benin. The force will comprise troops from Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana.

According to ECOWAS, the mission aims to support Benin’s government and armed forces in safeguarding constitutional order and preserving the country’s territorial integrity.