Burkina Faso has released Nigerian Air Force (NAF) pilots and crew members who were detained after a NAF aircraft made a forced landing in the country, following high-level diplomatic engagement by President Bola Tinubu.
The air force personnel regained their freedom after President Tinubu dispatched a delegation led by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, to Ouagadougou on Wednesday for talks with Burkina Faso’s military leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré.
In a statement issued by Alkasim Abdulkadir, spokesperson for the foreign affairs minister, Nigerian and Burkinabè authorities said the matter was amicably resolved after nearly two weeks of diplomatic tension.
The detention had followed accusations by the Confederation of Sahel States (AES), which described the aircraft’s landing as an unfriendly act allegedly carried out in violation of international law. The development heightened diplomatic strains between Nigeria and the Sahelian bloc.
However, the Nigerian Air Force rejected the allegations, explaining that the aircraft developed a technical fault mid-flight and was forced to make a precautionary landing in Bobo-Dioulasso, the nearest suitable airfield, in line with international aviation safety standards.
According to Abdulkadir, discussions during the closed-door meeting went beyond the immediate issue, focusing on strengthening political, security and economic cooperation between Nigeria and Burkina Faso amid growing insecurity across the Sahel.
“Both sides agreed to sustain regular consultations and pursue practical measures to deepen bilateral cooperation and regional integration, reflecting a shared commitment to peace, unity and stability in the sub-region,” he said.
Members of the Nigerian delegation included the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Mohammed Mohammed; Air Vice Marshal A.Y. Abdullahi, Chief of Policy and Plans at the NAF; Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to ECOWAS, Ambassador Olawale Awe; and Wahab Akande, Chief of Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The release of the detained soldiers has eased a potentially serious diplomatic standoff at a time when relations between ECOWAS member states and the AES bloc remain fragile.
