President Bola Tinubu has written to the Senate to grant permission to Nigerian troops to be deployed to the Benin Republic to help restore peace and protect democratic institutions threatened by an attempted military coup in the neighbouring West African country.

President Tinubu’s request was contained in a letter read by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, during the plenary on Tuesday, December 9.

The president explained that his action was in line with Section 5(5) of the 1999 Constitution, which requires him to consult the Senate before deploying the armed forces on combat missions outside Nigeria.

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“Pursuant to Section 5 (5) Part 2 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, I seek further consultation with the National Defence Council, the consent of the Senate for the deployment of Nigerian troops to the Republic of Benin,” he said.

Conversely, the request only just reached the Senate, Nigerian Air Force personnel had already deployed to assist Benin in quelling the coup attempt. The deployment was in response to a request by Benin authorities, the presidency said earlier.

The intervention is believed to have succeeded, and the leader of the coup, Tigri Pascal, has been declared wanted.

In his letter to the Senate, Mr Tinubu noted that the request followed an urgent appeal from President Patrice Talon of Benin for military support from Nigeria.