Burkina Faso has released Nigerian Air Force (NAF) personnel who were detained after their aircraft made a forced landing in the country, following high-level diplomatic engagement by President Bola Tinubu.
The officers, made up of pilots and crew members, regained their freedom after President Tinubu dispatched a delegation led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, to Ouagadougou for talks with Burkina Faso’s military leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré.
According to a statement by Alkasim Abdulkadir, spokesperson for the foreign affairs minister, both governments reached an amicable resolution over the incident, which had led to the detention of the Nigerian personnel for nearly two weeks.
Tensions arose after the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) accused Nigeria of carrying out an “unfriendly act,” alleging that the aircraft’s landing violated international law. The claim heightened diplomatic strains between Abuja and the Sahelian bloc.
The Nigerian Air Force, however, rejected the accusation, explaining that the aircraft developed a technical fault mid-flight and was compelled to make a precautionary landing in Bobo-Dioulasso, the nearest suitable airfield. The NAF said the decision complied fully with international aviation safety standards.
Talks between Nigerian and Burkinabè officials were held behind closed doors in Ouagadougou, where Tuggar conveyed President Tinubu’s message of solidarity and fraternity to Captain Traoré.
Beyond resolving the immediate dispute, discussions also focused on strengthening political, security and economic cooperation between both countries, particularly in response to worsening insecurity across the Sahel. Officials emphasized the need for coordinated regional responses and sustained engagement through existing sub-regional frameworks.
“Both sides 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.
The Nigerian delegation included the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Mohammed Mohammed; the Chief of Policy and Plans at the NAF, Air Vice Marshal A.Y. Abdullahi; Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to ECOWAS, Ambassador Olawale Awe; and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Chief of Protocol, Wahab Akande.
The release of the detained air force personnel has eased what many feared could have escalated into a major diplomatic crisis, especially amid fragile relations between ECOWAS member states and the AES bloc.
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