Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has confirmed that the Nigerian soldiers earlier detained by authorities in Burkina Faso have safely arrived at an Air Force base in Accra, Ghana.
Tuggar disclosed this in a post on his official X handle on Friday evening, noting that the successful return of the personnel underscored Nigeria’s preference for diplomacy and regional engagement in resolving sensitive issues.
“I can confirm that the pilots and crew of NAF C-130 (913) have safely arrived at the Air Force Base in Accra. The successful outcome reflects Nigeria’s commitment to diplomacy, regional cooperation, and the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in resolving sensitive matters through dialogue,” the minister wrote.
The Nigerian Air Force pilots and crew had been held by the Burkinabe authorities after their aircraft made a forced landing in the country. The military government in Burkina Faso initially described the incident as an unfriendly act, alleging a violation of international law.
However, the Nigerian Air Force explained that the aircraft developed a technical issue, necessitating a precautionary landing at the nearest suitable airfield in Bobo-Dioulasso, in line with international aviation safety standards.
The soldiers were released on Wednesday, December 17, following high-level diplomatic engagements initiated by President Tinubu. The President had dispatched a delegation led by Tuggar to meet with Burkina Faso’s junta leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, in Ouagadougou.
In a statement issued by Tuggar’s spokesperson, Alkasim Abdulkadir, both countries were said to have amicably resolved the matter concerning the detained pilots and crew after detailed discussions.
Abdulkadir said Tuggar conveyed President Tinubu’s message of solidarity and fraternity to Traoré, while both sides explored ways to deepen bilateral ties and strengthen regional integration.
According to him, the talks focused on enhancing political, security and economic cooperation, with particular attention to joint responses to shared security threats and coordinated action within existing sub-regional frameworks.
The soldiers had been held for nearly two weeks before their eventual release and onward movement to Ghana.
