OUAGADOUGOU/ABUJA — Burkina Faso has released 11 Nigerian Air Force personnel who were detained on December 8 after their aircraft made an emergency landing in western Burkina Faso, Nigeria’s foreign minister Yusuf Tuggar confirmed Wednesday.
Tuggar said the matter was resolved through sustained dialogue, reaffirming the effectiveness of diplomacy in handling sensitive disputes. The freed personnel included two flight crew members and nine passengers.
Background
The Nigerian aircraft was en route to Portugal for scheduled maintenance when it made the emergency landing, which the Air Force said followed international safety procedures. The incident prompted the Alliance of Sahel States (Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger) to place air defenses on maximum alert, authorizing the neutralization of any aircraft violating its airspace.
Diplomatic Resolution
Burkina Faso’s military regime, led by Ibrahim Traoré, released the crew after meetings with a Nigerian delegation. Both countries agreed to hold regular consultations and deepen bilateral cooperation and regional integration.
Regional Context
Relations between Nigeria and the Sahel alliance remain strained. Nigeria, a member of ECOWAS, recently intervened in Benin to help reverse a coup, conducting airstrikes against plotters. Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger withdrew from ECOWAS earlier this year, accusing the bloc of imposing inhumane coup-related sanctions.
The crew will now continue their journey to Portugal for the scheduled aircraft maintenance, according to Nigerian officials.