Burkina Faso Finally Releases Nigeria’s Military Personnel NAF Aircraft

By Adesina Soyooye

After an almost two-week face-off, the Burkina Faso Military Junta has finally released 11 Nigeria Airforce Personnel and their C-130 Military Aircraft.

Recall that the Aircraft was forced to land at Burkinabe’s Bobo Dioulasso  Airport after it over-flew the country’s airspace without authorisation. Thereafter, the 11 Military Personnel and the Aircraft were detained.

In reaction to that, the Confederation of Sahel States – Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso – in a strongly-worded statement issued by the Malian Leader, Assimi Goita, accused Nigeria of an  “unfriendly act carried out in defiance of international law”, and warned that member states were now on alert to neutralise aircraft violating their airspace.

In response, the Nigerian Air Force treated the incident as no issue. In a statement, its Director of Public Relations, Ehimen Ejodame, explained that the Aircraft and Personnel were on a ferry mission to Portugal when the crew noticed a technical issue and so, carried out a precautionary landing at the nearest airfield in line with international aviation protocols. The impression was also given that the Military personnel and the aircraft were not detained, that the personnel were received cordially, well looked after, and would soon be on their way to Portugal.

However, that never happened. They were kept in detention and the Burkinabe junta refused the Nigerian Acting Ambassador access to them when he tried to see them.

But now, thanks to a high level delegation sent by President Bola Tinubu, and led by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, to Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso to sort the embarrassing situation out, the Air Force personnel have been released. This was confirmed on Wednesday night by the Nigerian Government.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said the aircraft and personnel had been released. He was quoted as saying: “Yes, they have been released on Wednesday after Tuggar met with Ibrahim Traore, the Leader of Burkina Faso.”