Burkina Faso has released the Nigerian soldiers detained after their aircraft made a forced landing in the Sahelian country.
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The soldiers were released after President Bola Tinubu sent a delegation led by Yusuf Tuggar, minister of foreign affairs, to meet with Ibrahim Traoré, Burkina Faso’s junta leader, on Wednesday.
A statement issued by Alkasim Abdulkadir, Tuggar’s spokesperson, said both sides amicably resolved the issue concerning the Nigerian Air Force pilots and crew.
The soldiers were detained for nearly two weeks after the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) described the landing as an “unfriendly act carried out in defiance of international law.”
However, the air force said the crew observed a technical concern which necessitated a precautionary landing in Bobo-Dioulasso, a city in Burkina Faso, with the nearest airfield.
NAF said the landing was in accordance with standard safety procedures and international aviation protocols.
According to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), the C-130 aircraft carrying 11 Nigerian soldiers was on a ferry mission to Portugal when the incident occurred.
Ehimen Ejodame, director of public relations at NAF, said the crew observed a technical concern which necessitated a precautionary landing in Bobo-Dioulasso, a city in Burkina Faso, with the nearest airfield.
But Assimi Goita, the Mali junta leader, described the landing as an “unfriendly act carried out in defiance of international law.”
Goita spoke on behalf of the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) in a statement.
The AES said it authorised its member states to neutralise any aircraft violating its airspace.
Last week, there were unconfirmed reports that Burkinabe authorities released the Nigerian soldiers.
However, Tuggar told newsmen that the military personnel were still in the Sahelian country, adding that efforts were ongoing to resolve the situation quickly.
“We are discussing how we can resolve this delicate matter as quickly as possible, and we’re talking,” he told newsmen at the time.
“So it’s something that is being handled diplomatically,” he said.
Wednesday’s talks between Nigerian and Burkinabe officials over the matter were held in Ouagadougou, the country’s capital city.
Tuggar, who led a Nigerian delegation to the country, said in a press conference that the mission was initiated by President Bola Tinubu.
Abdulkadir noted that Tuggar delivered a message of solidarity and fraternity from Tinubu to Traoré, as both sides considered avenues for deepening bilateral relations and strengthening integration within the regional bloc.
Abdulkadir said the discussions centred on advancing political, security, and economic cooperation, with particular emphasis on coordinated responses to regional security challenges and collective action through existing sub-regional frameworks.
“Both sides agreed to sustain regular consultations and pursue practical measures to deepen bilateral cooperation and regional integration, reflecting a shared resolve to promote peace, unity, and stability in the sub-region,” the minister’s aide said in a statement.
Members of the Nigerian delegation included Mohammed Mohammed, director-general of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA); A. Y. Abdullahi, chief of policy and plans, NAF; Olawale Awe, permanent representative to Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS); and Wahab Akande, chief of protocol at the ministry of foreign affairs.
The successful resolution of the matter demonstrates the power of diplomatic engagement in addressing sensitive bilateral issues, particularly in a region where tensions have sometimes strained relationships between neighboring countries.
Nigeria’s ministry of foreign affairs did not immediately confirm earlier reports of the soldiers’ release when contacted, but the official statement from Tuggar’s spokesperson has now confirmed that the matter has been amicably resolved.
The incident highlights the importance of maintaining open channels of communication and diplomatic relations, even during periods of regional political changes and security challenges in the Sahel region.
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