Burkina Faso has released the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) pilots and crew detained after their aircraft made a forced landing in the country.
The release followed a diplomatic engagement initiated by President Bola Tinubu, who dispatched a delegation led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, to engage Burkina Faso’s leader, Capt. Ibrahim Traoré, in Ouagadougou.
A statement issued by Alkasim Abdulkadir, spokesperson to the minister, said both parties “amicably resolved the issue concerning the Nigerian Air Force pilots and crew.”
The military personnel had been detained for nearly two weeks after the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) described the aircraft’s landing as an “unfriendly act carried out in defiance of international law.”
However, the Nigerian Air Force explained that the crew observed a technical issue which necessitated a precautionary landing in Bobo-Dioulasso, the nearest available airfield in Burkina Faso.
The NAF stated that the landing was carried out in line with standard safety procedures and international aviation protocols.
Abdulkadir said the meeting between Nigerian and Burkinabe officials provided an opportunity for Tuggar to convey a message of solidarity and fraternity from President Tinubu to Traoré.
He added that discussions focused on strengthening bilateral relations and deepening regional integration, particularly in the areas of political, security and economic cooperation.
According to the statement, emphasis was placed on coordinated responses to regional security challenges and collective action through existing sub-regional frameworks.
“Both sides agreed to sustain regular consultations and pursue practical measures to deepen bilateral cooperation and regional integration, reflecting a shared resolve to promote peace, unity and stability in the sub-region,” Abdulkadir said.
