Burkina Faso Releases 11 Detained Nigerian Air Force Personnel

The Federal Government has confirmed the release of a Nigerian Air Force aircraft and 11 personnel who were detained in Burkina Faso following a forced landing, ending nearly two weeks of diplomatic engagement over the incident.

The confirmation was announced on Wednesday night by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Kimiebi Ebienfa, who stated that the detained aircraft and personnel had been freed.

“Yes, they have been released,” Ebienfa said briefly, confirming the resolution of the matter.

The release followed a high-level meeting between Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Yusuf Tuggar, and Burkina Faso’s junta leader, Mr. Ibrahim Traoré, in Ouagadougou.

Tuggar led a Nigerian delegation to Burkina Faso at the instance of President Bola Tinubu, and later briefed journalists on the successful outcome of the diplomatic engagement.

“The aircraft made a precautionary landing in Bobo Dioulasso after developing a technical issue while on a ferry mission to Portugal, in line with international aviation safety protocols,” the Nigerian Air Force explained.

“The crew acted professionally by choosing the nearest available airfield to ensure the safety of personnel and equipment, in accordance with established global aviation standards,” the Air Force added.

The incident had earlier drawn criticism from the Confederation of Sahel States, with Mali’s junta leader, Mr. Assimi Goita, describing the landing as an unfriendly act, but Nigerian authorities maintained that the mission complied fully with international law and aviation norms.