Nigerian soldiers detained in Burkina Faso released: Nigeria and Burkina Faso resolve afta Air Force jet violate AES airspace
Wia dis foto come from, Yusuf Tuggar/X
18 December 2025
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Di 11 Nigerian military personnel wey Burkina Faso authorities detain afta one Nigeria Air Force aircraft make one emergency landing for di West African for early December go soon return to Nigeria.
Special Assistant on Media to di Nigeria Minister of Foreign Affairs Alkasim Abdulkadir confam dis informate give BBC, afta one high level delegation wey di minister Yusuf Tuggar lead meet wit Burkina Faso authorities on Wednesday, 17 December for di West African kontri.
Abdulkadir say “Dem go return to Nigeria but dem neva come yet”.
E neva dey clear exactly wen di military personnel and di plane go come back di kontri.
Kontinu to dey read
Oga Tuggar wey deliver message of “solidarity and fraternity” from Nigerian President Bola Tinubu to di Burkina Faso junta leader Capt Ibrahim Traore tok on TV broadcast say “irregularities bin dey di documents, particularly concerning di overflight authorizations for Burkina Faso. Dis dey regrettable and we apologise for dis unfortunate incident.”
“We also discuss di mata of a Nigerian party leader making disgraceful comments on top dis incident. Dis undoubtedly link to a misunderstanding of the situation,” e add.
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Wia dis foto come from, Yusuf Tuggar/X
Wetin we call dis foto, Nigeria delegate wey Nigeria Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar lead wit Burkina Faso junta leader Capt. Ibrahim Traore
Na on 8 December, one Nigerian Air Force C-130 make emergency landing for Burkina Faso as dem dey go Portugal, afta di aircraft technical fault, Nigeria govment tok.
Di incident bin cause diplomatic tension between Nigeria and di Alliance of Sahel States (AES), wey include Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
Di AES bin earlier describe di landing as a “violation of dia airspace and sovereignty.”
Afta di meeting, di Nigeria Foreign Affairs minister say di two countries don “amicably resolve di issue wey concern di Nigerian Air Force pilots and crew, and don strengthen mutual confidence plus di effectiveness of dialogue.”
E add say both sides don “agree to sustain regular consultations and pursue practical measures to deepen bilateral cooperation and regional integration”.
Background of di aircraft incident
Authorities for Burkina Faso bin arrest some Nigerian military personnel wey make emergency landing for Bobo-Dioulasso, di second-largest city for Burkina Faso on Monday, 8 December without permission.
Di Nigerian Airforce clear am say di aircraft wey make emergency landing for Burkina Faso bin dey on one ferry mission to Portugal wen e make diversion.
For statement, NAF say di crew bin take off from Lagos but dem observe one technical concern wey compulsory precautionary landing for Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, di nearest airfield, in accordance wit standard safety procedures and international aviation protocols.
“NAF crew dey safe and dem receive cordial treatment from di host authorities. Plans dey go on to resume di mission as scheduled.
“Di Nigerian Air Force appreciate di support received during dis period and assure di public say NAF remain professionally committed to strict compliance wit operational procedures and safety standards, and ensure di protection of dia personnel while fulfilling dia constitutional mandate,” di statement tok.
But wetin di Nigerian govment tok about di incident dey different from di position of Burkina Faso military govment plus di Alliance of di Sahel States. Dem bin say di aircraft enta Burkinabè airspace without prior authorisation and dem force am to land.
Di Sahel bloc (AES) bin condemn di incident as “violation of dia airspace and di sovereignty of dia member state.” Dem describe di landing as an “unfriendly act carried out in disregard of international law and aviation regulations.”
In a dramatic escalation, di Sahel bloc tok say dem don put dia air-defence and anti-aircraft systems on maximum alert and dem authorise member states to “neutralise any aircraft wey violate dia airspace.”
One joint statement from di Alliance of Sahelian States (AES), wey comprise di three military-led West African nations – Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger also say dem don put dia air defense assets on maximum alert following di incident.
“Di aerial and anti-aircraft defenses of di confederal area dey on maximum alert, and dem dey authorized to neutralize any aircraft wey violate our airspace,” di statement tok.
Di incident bin come against a backdrop of growing mistrust and shifting alliances across West Africa.
