Burkina Faso officials have freed 11 Nigerian soldiers and a Nigerian Air Force plane, ten days after their capture due to an emergency landing in the Sahel nation.
The development was confirmed on Wednesday night by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa.
“They have been released. I just confirmed with our Head of Mission in Burkina Faso,” Ebienfa said.
Nonetheless, it was still uncertain when the troops and the planes would come back to Nigeria, as their travel plans could not be promptly confirmed.
Burkina Faso’s authorities had detained the military personnel after their Nigerian Air Force C-130 aircraft made an unplanned landing in Bobo-Dioulasso on December 8 due to a technical issue shortly after leaving Lagos on its way to Portugal.
Authorities in Burkina Faso initially detained the aircraft and its crew for purported airspace violations, labeling the event as a violation of sovereignty. Investigations by the Confederation of Sahel States and Burkinabe authorities supposedly determined that the aircraft did not have prior approval to enter Burkinabe airspace.
After days of diplomatic discussions, President Bola Tinubu sent a special envoy to Ouagadougou to interact with the Burkinabe officials.
Earlier on Wednesday, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, was confirmed to be in Ouagadougou as the President’s Special Envoy to help secure the release of the detained individuals.
Ebienfa reported that the Nigerian Chargé d’Affaires in Burkina Faso has been in discussions with the host government, in addition to the high-level action approved by the President.
The Chargé d’Affaires at the Nigerian Embassy in Burkina Faso has been in discussions with the local government, and the President has dispatched a Special Envoy as well. He stated previously, “We are hopeful that the issue will be settled promptly.”
The Nigerian Air Force consistently affirmed that the crew was safe and treated respectfully during their detention, highlighting that the precautionary landing adhered to standard safety measures and international aviation guidelines.
The aircraft was said to be on a ferry flight to Portugal when it encountered a technical problem shortly after takeoff, leading the crew to change course to the closest airfield.
On Tuesday, the House of Representatives expressed worries regarding the ongoing detention of the soldiers and called for diplomatic actions to ensure their release.
