The Federal Government has confirmed that 11 Nigerian Air Force personnel and a C-130 military aircraft remain in detention in Burkina Faso, despite ongoing diplomatic efforts to secure their release.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, disclosed on Sunday that negotiations with Burkinabe authorities are continuing but have yet to yield the desired outcome.
“We are engaging them, but they are yet to be released,” Ebienfa told Sunday PUNCH, adding that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has assumed full responsibility for the negotiations aimed at freeing both the detained military personnel and the aircraft.
The spokesperson assured Nigerians that discussions are being conducted through proper diplomatic channels, though he declined to provide additional details about the circumstances leading to the detention.
The Nigerian Air Force personnel were detained last week following an emergency landing of their aircraft in Burkina Faso. The host country has accused Nigeria of violating its airspace, triggering a diplomatic incident between the two West African nations.
The Confederation of Sahel States, a regional alliance consisting of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, characterized the aircraft’s landing as an “unfriendly act carried out in defiance of international law.” The bloc accused Nigeria of breaching Burkinabe airspace without authorization.
In a stern warning, the AES has granted member states the authority to neutralize any unauthorized aircraft operating within their airspace, raising concerns about the safety of military and civilian flights in the region.
The detention has sparked tensions between Nigeria and the Sahel alliance, particularly as the three AES member states have distanced themselves from the Economic Community of West African States following recent military takeovers in their countries.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that it is working to resolve the matter peacefully through diplomatic engagement, though no timeline has been provided for when the personnel and aircraft might be released.
