What You Need to Know
Burkina Faso has released a Nigerian military plane and its eleven crew members after nearly two weeks of detention. The release followed an official apology from Nigeria’s Foreign Minister, who acknowledged the unauthorized entry of the aircraft into Burkina Faso’s airspace. The two countries discussed enhancing cooperation to combat security challenges in West Africa during their meeting.
Africa. Burkina Faso’s authorities have released the Nigerian military aircraft, a C-130, along with its eleven crew members after nearly two weeks of detention following an emergency landing in Bobo Dioulasso on December 8.
This step came after Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar issued a formal apology to transitional President Ibrahim Traoré, confirming that the aircraft entered Burkina Faso’s airspace without prior permission.
In statements to the press following his meeting with Traoré, the Nigerian minister said, “We apologize for this unfortunate incident,” while praising the care provided by the authorities to the crew members during their detention.
Additionally, the Nigerian minister rejected statements from some politicians in his country who spoke of “mistreatment” of the detained soldiers, describing those claims as “inappropriate comments” and affirming that his government does not endorse them.
The meeting between the two parties not only addressed the diplomatic crisis but also touched on the issue of combating terrorism in the Sahel region.
The Nigerian minister commended what he described as the “tangible successes” achieved by Burkina Faso in confronting armed groups, while both sides emphasized the need to enhance bilateral and regional cooperation to address security challenges in West Africa.
The Nigerian military plane was transporting soldiers and military equipment when it was forced to land in Bobo Dioulasso due to unauthorized entry into Burkina Faso’s airspace. The incident was labeled as an “unfriendly act” by the Sahel Alliance, violating international law and civil and military aviation rules. This event occurred shortly after a Nigerian military intervention in Benin, following a failed coup attempt against President Patrice Talon, adding political and regional dimensions to the incident.
