Burkina Faso has released 11 Nigerian Air Force personnel who were detained for ten days after a Nigerian military aircraft made an emergency landing in the country, officials confirmed.
The release followed negotiations between Nigerian and Burkinabé authorities, according to Burkina Faso’s military government led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré. The aircraft, which was en route to Portugal for repairs, was forced to land in western Burkina Faso, the Nigerian Air Force said in a statement last week.
An Associated Press report said the plane was carrying two pilots and nine passengers at the time of the emergency landing. The circumstances surrounding the incident prompted the detention of the crew, amid heightened regional security sensitivities.
Following diplomatic discussions, both countries agreed to hold formal consultations and work toward strengthening bilateral cooperation and regional integration, said Akabay Alkasim Abdulkadir, spokesperson for the Nigerian negotiating team.
The incident occurred against a backdrop of strained relations between Nigeria and several Sahel states. Tensions have increased in recent months following Nigeria’s involvement in regional security matters, including intervention efforts related to a recent coup attempt in Benin, during which Nigerian airstrikes reportedly targeted coup plotters.
Nigeria is a founding member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Burkina Faso, along with Mali and Niger, has withdrawn from the bloc and formed a separate military-led alliance known as the Sahel Union, reflecting shifting political and security dynamics in West Africa.
