FG secures release of detained Nigerian aircraft, soldiers after Tuggar’s Burkina Faso talks

By James Ike

The Federal Government has confirmed the release of a Nigerian Air Force aircraft and 11 soldiers who were detained in Burkina Faso following a forced landing.

Confirming the development on Wednesday night, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Kimiebi Ebienfa, said both the aircraft and the personnel had been freed.

“Yes, they have been released,” Ebienfa said.

The confirmation followed a high-level diplomatic engagement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Yusuf Tuggar, who on Wednesday met with Burkina Faso’s junta leader, Mr Ibrahim Traoré, in Ouagadougou.

Addressing journalists after the meeting, Tuggar disclosed that the visit was undertaken at the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, underscoring Nigeria’s commitment to resolving the matter through dialogue.

The incident occurred nearly two weeks ago when a Nigerian Air Force C-130 aircraft, conveying 11 soldiers, made a forced landing in Bobo Dioulasso while on a ferry mission to Portugal.

Earlier, the Director of Public Relations and Information of the Nigerian Air Force, Mr Ehimen Ejodame, had explained that the crew detected a technical fault and executed a precautionary landing at the nearest available airfield, in accordance with international aviation safety protocols.

The situation, however, attracted regional attention after Mali’s junta leader, Mr Assimi Goïta, speaking on behalf of the Confederation of Sahel States, described the landing as an “unfriendly act” and alleged it violated international law. He warned that member states of the bloc were authorised to neutralise any aircraft deemed to have breached their airspace.

The release of the aircraft and soldiers now appears to have defused the diplomatic tension surrounding the incident.