The 11 Nigerian Air Force (NAF) pilots and crew members detained in Burkina Faso have been released following high-level diplomatic engagement between Nigeria and the Burkinabè authorities.
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, met with the released personnel after securing their freedom during talks with Captain Ibrahim Traoré, Burkina Faso’s military leader. The engagement followed the deployment of a presidential delegation by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to resolve the matter.
The Nigerian Air Force personnel were detained after their aircraft made an emergency landing in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, due to a reported technical issue. Nigerian authorities explained that the precautionary landing was carried out in line with international aviation safety standards and established military protocols.
The soldiers had been held for nearly two weeks after the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) described the incident as an unfriendly act allegedly in breach of international law. However, the NAF consistently maintained that the landing was necessitated by safety concerns, with Bobo-Dioulasso identified as the nearest suitable airfield.
In a statement issued by Alkasim Abdulkadir, spokesperson to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, both countries resolved the issue amicably after diplomatic discussions held in Ouagadougou on Wednesday. Tuggar was said to have conveyed President Tinubu’s message of solidarity and fraternity to President Traoré.
According to the statement, discussions between both sides also focused on strengthening bilateral ties and enhancing cooperation in political, security and economic spheres, with particular emphasis on coordinated responses to regional security challenges within existing sub-regional frameworks.
“Both parties agreed to maintain regular consultations and pursue practical steps to deepen bilateral cooperation and regional integration, reflecting a shared commitment to peace, unity and stability in the sub-region,” Abdulkadir said.
Members of the Nigerian delegation included the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Mohammed Mohammed; Air Vice Marshal A. Y. Abdullahi, Chief of Policy and Plans at NAF Headquarters; Ambassador Olawale Awe, Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to ECOWAS; and Wahab Akande, Chief of Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The delegation and the released NAF personnel are expected to return to Nigeria on Thursday.