Burkina Faso has continued to hold on to a Nigerian military aircraft and the 11 personnel on board, despite repeated diplomatic efforts to resolve the matter.
The Federal Government has now stepped in fully as tension around the incident continues to grow.
The aircraft, a Nigerian Air Force C-130, had landed in Bobo Dioulasso after the crew detected a technical issue.
While the Nigerian side insists the landing followed international aviation safety rules, Burkina Faso authorities maintain that the plane entered their airspace without proper approval.
The disagreement quickly escalated, drawing in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has opened talks with officials in Ouagadougou to secure the release of both the aircraft and the personnel.
According to officials familiar with the discussions, the situation has become more complicated because of political tensions in the region.
They explained that the members of the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) — Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger — see the incident as a chance to display defiance towards Nigeria after the three countries withdrew from ECOWAS.
Diplomatic sources told POLITICS NIGERIA that the C-130 crew followed the proper procedure for an emergency landing, but the ongoing friction between the Sahel military governments and Abuja has made a straightforward process more difficult.
One senior official confirmed that negotiations are active. He explained that the aircraft had been expected to continue its journey to Portugal almost immediately, but Burkina Faso has not given the clearance needed.
When asked for an update, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarified that reports claiming the aircraft and personnel had been freed were untrue. The ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, noted that government channels are still working to secure their release.
He stated: “They have not been released as we speak, but we are trying to secure that. We are engaging the Burkina Faso authorities using usual diplomatic channels.”
Ebienfa also said the ministry is unaware of the exact reason behind Burkina Faso’s refusal to clear the aircraft, but assured Nigerians that efforts are ongoing to bring the detained personnel home safely.
Earlier, the Nigerian Air Force confirmed the emergency landing and noted that the crew had been treated courteously. The NAF said it hoped to resume the flight as soon as possible.
In its statement, the Air Force said: “Following take-off from Lagos, the crew observed a technical concern which necessitated a precautionary landing in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, the nearest airfield, in accordance with standard safety procedures and international aviation protocols. The NAF crew is safe and has received cordial treatment from the host authorities.
Plans are ongoing to resume the mission as scheduled.”
However, that plan has stalled as the Burkinabe authorities continue to hold the aircraft, insisting it flew into their territory without the required clearance.
Reports from Burkina Faso indicate that the plane carried 11 Nigerian military personnel — two crew members and nine passengers when it made the emergency landing.
Officials from the Sahel bloc have described the incident as a violation of their sovereignty and warned that any similar occurrence would be met with force.
They also claimed that their air-defence systems were already on high alert following the episode, stressing that they would not tolerate what they termed unauthorised intrusion.
