Burkina Faso has released Nigerian soldiers and a military aircraft that were detained in the country following a forced landing, Nigerian authorities have confirmed.
The spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, confirmed the development on Wednesday night, stating that the detained personnel had been freed.
The release followed a diplomatic engagement between Nigeria and Burkina Faso, with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, meeting Burkina Faso’s leader, Ibrahim Traoré, in Ouagadougou earlier on Wednesday. Tuggar led a Nigerian delegation to the Burkinabe capital at the instance of President Bola Tinubu.
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 while on a ferry mission to Portugal. The Nigerian Air Force had explained that the crew detected a technical fault and carried out a precautionary landing at the nearest available airfield in line with international aviation safety protocols.
Despite the explanation, the landing triggered diplomatic tension within the Sahel region. Mali’s military leader, Assimi Goita, speaking on behalf of the Confederation of Sahel States, described the incident as an “unfriendly act” allegedly carried out in defiance of international law, warning that member states were authorised to neutralise aircraft deemed to have violated their airspace.
The release of the aircraft and soldiers is seen as a de-escalation of tensions following high-level diplomatic talks between Nigeria and Burkina Faso.