The Federal Government has confirmed that the Nigerian Air Force aircraft and the 11 soldiers detained in Burkina Faso following a forced landing have been released.
The confirmation was given on Wednesday night by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Kimiebi Ebienfa, who simply stated that both the aircraft and the detained personnel had been freed.
“Yes, they have been released,” Ebienfa said, bringing relief after days of diplomatic tension surrounding the incident.
The development came shortly after Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Yusuf Tuggar, met with Burkina Faso’s junta leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, in Ouagadougou. Tuggar led a Nigerian delegation to the country on the directive of President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking during a press briefing, the minister explained that the visit was aimed at resolving the diplomatic situation created by the detention of the aircraft and its crew.
The incident occurred nearly two weeks ago when a Nigerian Air Force C-130 aircraft, carrying 11 soldiers, made a forced landing in Bobo Dioulasso. The aircraft was reportedly on a ferry mission to Portugal when the issue arose.
According to the Director of Public Relations of the Nigerian Air Force, Mr. Ehimen Ejodame, the crew noticed a technical problem mid-flight and carried out a precautionary landing at the nearest available airfield, in line with international aviation safety standards.
However, the situation escalated after Mali’s junta leader, Mr. Assimi Goita, speaking on behalf of the Confederation of Sahel States, described the landing as an “unfriendly act” and a violation of international law. He warned that member states were authorised to neutralise any aircraft deemed to have violated their airspace.
The release of the aircraft and personnel now signals a diplomatic breakthrough, easing tensions and reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to dialogue and peaceful resolution of disputes within the West African region.
