Burkina Faso releases 11 Air Force personnel after high-level Nigerian delegation visit

The release came shortly after a Nigerian delegation led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, concluded engagements in Ouagadougou, including talks with Burkina Faso’s military leader, President Ibrahim Traoré.

The delegation included senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defence and NAF Headquarters, and was mandated to pursue a peaceful resolution through dialogue.

According to security analyst Zagazola Makama, who cited a senior official familiar with the mission, the talks focused on de-escalation, confidence-building and securing the release of the detained personnel, while reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to international aviation rules, military protocols and regional cooperation.

The incident unfolded against a fragile regional backdrop marked by rising insecurity and political instability across the Sahel.

Military juntas in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have withdrawn from ECOWAS to form the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), straining relations with countries like Nigeria that remain committed to the regional bloc.

The Nigerian Air Force said the landing was a precautionary emergency stop due to a technical issue and was conducted in accordance with standard safety procedures and international aviation protocols.

Tensions have been compounded by recent security scares, including a reported botched coup attempt in Benin, reflecting the volatiliy of the region.

Against this backdrop, the detention of Nigerian military personnel risked escalating into a diplomatic standoff, particularly given lingering frictions following the AES states’ exit from ECOWAS.

Speaking after the meeting, Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar said Nigeria and Burkina Faso shared longstanding ties and common security concerns, noting that the engagement was aimed at reinforcing mutual understanding and neighbourly relations.

“We exchanged views on cooperation in several sectors. We also discussed the Nigerian aircraft that made an emergency landing in Burkina Faso,” Tuggar said.

He acknowledged procedural irregularities in the authorisation process for the aircraft’s entry into Burkinabè airspace, expressing Nigeria’s regret over the incident while emphasising Abuja’s respect for Burkina Faso’s sovereignty and international aviation protocols.

The minister also distanced the Federal Government from remarks by a Nigerian political party official alleging maltreatment of Nigerian military personnel in Burkina Faso.

“We clearly dissociate ourselves from those comments and express our sincere regrets to the government of Burkina Faso,” Tuggar said.

Analysts say the swift diplomatic engagement helped defuse tensions and prevented the episode from becoming a flashpoint in Nigeria–Burkina Faso relations, noting the two countries’ history of cooperation on security and counterterrorism.