The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has confirmed that Nigerian soldiers recently released by Burkina Faso authorities have arrived safely at an Air Force base in Accra, Ghana.
Tuggar announced the development in a post on X on Friday evening, stating that the personnel landed aboard a Nigerian Air Force aircraft.
“I can confirm that the pilots and crew of NAF C-130 (913) have safely arrived at the Air Force Base in Accra,” the minister wrote.
He added that the development underscored Nigeria’s diplomatic approach to resolving sensitive regional issues.
“The successful outcome reflects Nigeria’s commitment to diplomacy, regional cooperation, and the leadership of @NGRPresident Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR @officialABAT, in resolving sensitive matters through dialogue,” Tuggar said.
The soldiers were detained after their aircraft made an unscheduled landing in Bobo-Dioulasso on December 8 due to a technical issue shortly after departing Lagos en route to Portugal.
Burkina Faso’s military authorities held the personnel and aircraft over alleged airspace violations, describing the incident as a breach of sovereignty. Investigations by the Confederation of Sahel States and Burkinabe officials reportedly showed that the aircraft did not have prior authorisation to enter Burkinabe airspace.
After several days of diplomatic negotiations, President Bola Tinubu sent a team led by Tuggar to Ouagadougou to engage with Burkinabe authorities.
It would be recalled that on Wednesday night, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, confirmed the release of the soldiers
“The soldiers have been released. I just confirmed with our Head of Mission in Burkina Faso,” he said.
