The Federal Government has announced that the Nigerian Air Force aircraft and the 11 military personnel earlier held by authorities in Burkina Faso have now been freed following diplomatic engagements.
The confirmation was given on Wednesday night by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Kimiebi Ebienfa, who stated that both the aircraft and the detained soldiers had been released. Responding briefly to enquiries, he said the matter had been resolved.
This development followed a high-level meeting earlier on Wednesday between Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Yusuf Tuggar, and the leader of Burkina Faso’s military government, Mr Ibrahim Traoré, in Ouagadougou. Tuggar led a Nigerian delegation to the meeting, explaining during a media interaction that the visit was undertaken on the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as part of efforts to address the situation diplomatically.
The incident dates back to almost two weeks ago, when a Nigerian Air Force C-130 transport aircraft, carrying 11 soldiers, made an emergency landing in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso. The aircraft was reportedly en route to Portugal on a ferry mission when it encountered a technical challenge that necessitated an unscheduled landing.
Earlier, the Director of Public Relations and Information of the Nigerian Air Force, Mr Ehimen Ejodame, had clarified that the aircrew detected a technical fault mid-flight and, in line with standard international aviation safety procedures, decided to land at the closest available airfield as a precautionary measure.
Despite this explanation, the incident attracted criticism from regional leaders. Mali’s junta leader, Mr Assimi Goita, speaking on behalf of the Confederation of Sahel States, had condemned the landing, describing it as a hostile action that violated international law. He further warned that member countries were empowered to take action against aircraft that unlawfully entered their airspace.
With the release now confirmed, Nigerian authorities say the matter has been successfully resolved through diplomatic channels.