Eleven Nigerian soldiers who were detained in Burkina Faso for ten days have been released following diplomatic efforts between the two West African countries, Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Wednesday.
The personnel were taken into custody on December 8 after a Nigerian military C-130 aircraft made an emergency landing in the southwestern city of Bobo-Dioulasso, about 910km from Benin’s economic capital, Cotonou.
Burkina Faso authorities said an initial investigation showed the aircraft had not received clearance to fly over the country.
The Alliance of Sahel States (AES) – a bloc formed in 2023 by Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger – condemned the aircraft’s entry as an “unfriendly act” and accused Nigeria of violating the sovereignty of its member states.
The incident occurred one day after the Nigerian army conducted operations to help prevent a coup in neighboring Benin.
The soldiers were released after Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar issued an official apology to Burkina Faso, expressing regret over what he described as irregularities in flight authorization procedures.
“The soldiers have been released. I just confirmed with our Head of Mission in Burkina Faso,” Nigerian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Kimiebi Ebienfa said.
Tuggar also condemned what he described as “unhealthy comments” made by a Nigerian political party leader who had publicly accused Burkina Faso of mistreating the detained soldiers. “We dismiss these remarks and we sincerely apologize to the government of Burkina Faso,” reiterates Minister Tuggar, as quoted by Burkina24.
Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger withdrew from the West African regional bloc ECOWAS after tensions sparked by military takeovers in the three former French colonies. The three countries accused ECOWAS of serving as a tool for foreign powers, particularly France, after the bloc threatened military intervention to restore constitutional order in Niger.
The AES has also previously alleged that Benin and Nigeria serve as logistical bases for foreign-backed efforts to destabilize the Sahel, a region plagued by a decade-long jihadist insurgency.