How Nigerian diplomacy secured the release of detained military personnel in Burkina Faso

Nigeria has secured the release of 11 military personnel detained in Burkina Faso after a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft made an emergency landing in the country, following high-level diplomatic engagement between both governments.

The officers were taken into custody last week when the NAF C-130 aircraft they were travelling in made a precautionary landing in Bobo-Dioulasso, south-western Burkina Faso. Burkinabe authorities initially held the personnel over claims that Nigeria had violated the country’s airspace.

Their release on Wednesday night, about nine days after the incident, was confirmed by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa.

Ebienfa said the breakthrough followed the visit of a senior Nigerian delegation led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, who met with officials of the Burkinabe government to clarify the circumstances surrounding the landing and ease tensions.

A statement issued by the minister’s spokesperson, Alkasim Abdulkadir, said both sides resolved the matter through dialogue and mutual understanding.

“In the spirit of constructive engagement, the two governments amicably resolved the issue concerning Nigerian Air Force pilots and crew, reinforcing confidence and highlighting the effectiveness of dialogue in addressing sensitive matters,” the statement read.

The detention followed accusations by the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—a bloc comprising Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger—that Nigeria had breached Burkina Faso’s airspace. The alliance described the emergency landing as an infringement of the country’s sovereignty.

The Nigerian Air Force, however, rejected the claim, explaining that the aircraft landed in Burkina Faso purely on safety grounds and in line with international aviation regulations.

According to the NAF, the crew detected a technical concern while en route to Portugal and carried out a precautionary landing at Bobo-Dioulasso, the nearest appropriate airfield.

Mr Tuggar had earlier ruled out any link between the incident and Nigeria’s position on the recent military coup in Benin, noting that diplomatic efforts were underway to secure the release of the detained personnel.

“We are discussing how we can resolve this delicate matter as quickly as possible. It is being handled diplomatically,” the minister said at the time.

The resolution of the standoff highlights the role of sustained diplomatic engagement in managing security-related disputes in the West African sub-region, amid growing tensions involving military-led governments in the Sahel.