Burkina Faso has released a Nigerian Air Force aircraft along with 11 military personnel who were earlier detained.
The Nigerian Air Force C-130 aircraft, which was transporting 11 personnel on a ferry mission to Portugal, made an emergency landing in the city of Bobo Dioulasso about two weeks ago after developing technical faults.
The Director of Public Relations of the Nigerian Air Force, Mr Ehimen Ejodame, explained that the crew landed at the nearest available airfield purely for safety reasons, in line with established international aviation procedures.
However, Mali’s junta leader, Assimi Goita, speaking on behalf of the Confederation of Sahel States, described the precautionary landing as an “unfriendly act carried out in defiance of international law.”
Goita warned that member states of the Sahel alliance would take action to neutralise any aircraft found violating their airspace.
Despite the earlier tension, the Nigerian government has now confirmed the release of both the aircraft and the 11 personnel.
Their release followed a diplomatic engagement between a Nigerian government delegation, led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Yusuf Tuggar, and Burkina Faso’s junta leader, Mr Ibrahim Traoré, held in Ouagadougou.
Tuggar, who headed the delegation on the directive of President Bola Tinubu, later briefed journalists on the outcome of the discussions.
Confirming the development on Wednesday night, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said: “Yes, they have been released.”
