Burkina Faso authorities on Wednesday released 11 Nigerian soldiers and a Nigerian Air Force C-130 aircraft, ending a 10-day diplomatic standoff triggered by an unscheduled landing earlier this month.
The release followed high-level diplomatic intervention, including the dispatch of a Special Envoy by President Bola Tinubu. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, was confirmed to be in Ouagadougou on Wednesday leading the presidential mission to secure the freedom of the personnel.
The soldiers and aircraft were detained on December 8 after the Nigerian Air Force plane made a precautionary landing in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, due to a reported technical issue shortly after departing Lagos en route to Portugal.
Burkinabe authorities had described the incident as an airspace violation and breach of sovereignty, alleging the aircraft lacked prior authorisation to enter its airspace. An investigation by the Confederation of Sahel States reportedly supported this claim.
Throughout the detention, the Nigerian Air Force maintained that its crew was safe and treated courteously, stressing that the emergency landing was conducted in line with standard safety and international aviation protocols.
While the release has been secured, details regarding the exact timing of the soldiersโ and aircraftโs return to Nigeria remain unclear as travel arrangements were still being finalised late Wednesday.
The House of Representatives had earlier on Tuesday expressed concern over the continued detention and called for intensified diplomatic efforts, a call evidently heeded by the executive branch with the presidential envoyโs mission.
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