Burkina Faso has released 11 Nigerian soldiers and a Nigerian Air Force aircraft, 10 days after they were detained following an emergency landing in the West African country.
The release was confirmed on Wednesday night by the spokesperson of Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, who said Nigeria’s Head of Mission in Burkina Faso verified the development. However, details on when the soldiers and the aircraft will return to Nigeria were not immediately available.
The military personnel were detained after a Nigerian Air Force C-130 aircraft made an unscheduled landing in Bobo-Dioulasso on December 8. The aircraft, which was en route from Lagos to Portugal, reportedly developed a technical fault shortly after take-off, forcing the crew to divert to the nearest available airport.
Burkina Faso authorities initially held the aircraft and its crew over claims of an airspace violation, describing the incident as a breach of sovereignty. Investigations by Burkinabe officials and regional authorities later indicated that the aircraft did not have prior authorisation to enter the country’s airspace.
Following intense diplomatic engagements, President Bola Tinubu intervened by dispatching a Special Envoy to Ouagadougou to engage directly with Burkinabe authorities. Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, was also confirmed to be in Burkina Faso as part of efforts to secure the release of the detained personnel.
Read Also;
Benin Returns to Calm After Failed Coup Attempt
According to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Nigeria’s Chargé d’Affaires in Burkina Faso had been in constant talks with the host government alongside the high-level intervention approved by the President.
Throughout the detention period, the Nigerian Air Force maintained that the crew was safe and treated courteously, stressing that the emergency landing was carried out in line with international aviation safety standards.
The incident had earlier drawn the attention of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, which expressed concern and called for swift diplomatic action to resolve the matter.
