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Burkina Faso authorities have released 11 Nigerian soldiers and a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft, ten days after they were detained following an emergency landing in the West African country.
The confirmation was given on Wednesday night by the spokesperson of Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, who disclosed that the release followed sustained diplomatic engagements between both countries.
“They have been released. I just confirmed with our Head of Mission in Burkina Faso,” Ebienfa told Punch.
However, details surrounding the return of the soldiers and the aircraft to Nigeria remain unclear, as officials could not immediately confirm their travel arrangements.
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The soldiers were detained after a Nigerian Air Force C-130 aircraft made an unscheduled landing in Bobo-Dioulasso on December 8, shortly after departing Lagos on a ferry mission to Portugal. The aircraft reportedly developed a technical fault mid-flight, forcing the crew to divert to the nearest available airfield in line with international aviation safety standards.
Burkina Faso authorities initially impounded the aircraft and detained the crew, citing alleged airspace violations and describing the incident as a breach of national sovereignty. Investigations conducted by Burkinabe officials alongside the Confederation of Sahel States reportedly concluded that the aircraft lacked prior authorisation to enter Burkinabe airspace.
Following the detention, Nigeria intensified diplomatic efforts to secure the release of its personnel. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu subsequently dispatched a Special Envoy to Ouagadougou to engage directly with Burkina Faso’s leadership.
Earlier on Wednesday, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, was confirmed to be in Ouagadougou as the President’s Special Envoy to facilitate high-level negotiations for the release of the detained soldiers.
Ebienfa noted that Nigeria’s Chargé d’Affaires in Burkina Faso had been in continuous talks with the host government alongside the President’s intervention.
“The Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Nigeria in Burkina Faso has been engaging the host government, and Mr President has also sent a Special Envoy,” he said.
Throughout the detention period, the Nigerian Air Force assured the public that the crew was safe and treated courteously, stressing that the emergency landing complied fully with international aviation protocols.
On Tuesday, Nigeria’s House of Representatives expressed concern over the continued detention and urged the Federal Government to intensify diplomatic efforts — a move that appears to have contributed to the eventual resolution.
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