Burkina Faso releases detained Nigerian soldiers after high-level diplomatic talks
Burkina Faso has freed Nigerian military personnel detained for nearly two weeks following a forced aircraft landing in the West African nation.
The soldiers were released on Wednesday after President Bola Tinubu dispatched a high-level delegation led by Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar to meet with Burkina Faso’s junta leader, Ibrahim Traoré, in Ouagadougou.
According to a statement by Alkasim Abdulkadir, Tuggar’s spokesperson, both countries amicably resolved the matter concerning the Nigerian Air Force pilots and crew.
The military personnel were detained after the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) described their landing as an “unfriendly act carried out in defiance of international law.” However, the Nigerian Air Force explained that the crew made a precautionary landing in Bobo-Dioulasso due to a technical concern, following standard safety procedures and international aviation protocols.
During the Ouagadougou talks, Minister Tuggar delivered a message of solidarity from President Tinubu to Traoré. Discussions focused on strengthening bilateral relations, advancing political and security cooperation, and coordinated responses to regional security challenges.
“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 stated.
The Nigerian delegation included Mohammed Mohammed, Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency; A.Y. Abdullahi, Chief of Policy and Plans, NAF; Olawale Awe, Permanent Representative to ECOWAS; and Wahab Akande, Chief of Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
