The Federal Government has confirmed that a Nigerian Air Force aircraft and 11 soldiers earlier held in Burkina Faso have been released after diplomatic talks between both countries.
The confirmation was given on Wednesday night, December 18, 2025, by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, who said the aircraft and the military personnel were no longer in detention.
The release followed a high-level visit by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, to Ouagadougou, where he met with Burkina Faso’s leader, Ibrahim Traoré.
Tuggar led a Nigerian delegation to the meeting, which he said was carried out on the directive of President Bola Tinubu.
The incident happened almost two weeks earlier when a Nigerian Air Force C-130 aircraft, carrying 11 soldiers, made a forced landing in Bobo Dioulasso.
The aircraft was said to be on a ferry mission to Portugal when the situation occurred.
The Nigerian Air Force later explained that the crew detected a technical problem during the flight and decided to land at the closest available airfield as a safety measure, in line with global aviation rules.
Despite this explanation, tensions rose after Mali’s leader, Assimi Goita, speaking for the Confederation of Sahel States, described the landing as a hostile move that went against international law.
He warned that member countries of the bloc had the authority to take action against any aircraft seen as violating their airspace.
With the release of the aircraft and soldiers, Nigeria’s diplomatic engagement appears to have eased the situation and prevented further strain between the countries involved.
