Nigerian soldiers spend sixth day in Burkina Faso detention

File photo: Soldiers

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Six days after a Nigerian Air Force C-130 aircraft made a precautionary landing in Burkina Faso, the 11 military personnel on board have remained in detention as diplomatic efforts intensify to resolve the standoff.

The soldiers and the aircraft were seized by the Burkina Faso military government over alleged violations of the Sahel country’s airspace.

On Tuesday, the Government of Burkina Faso said a Nigerian Air Force aircraft carrying 11 soldiers was forced to land in the country on Monday after reportedly violating its airspace.

The development was reported by the Agence d’Information du Burkina, the state-run news agency, which published a statement from the Confederation of Sahel States.

The statement added that an investigation by Burkinabe authorities “highlighted the absence of authorisation to fly over the territory of Burkina Faso for this military device.”

The AES condemned the incident as a violation of sovereignty, stating that it “condemns with the utmost firmness this violation of its airspace and the sovereignty of its member States.”

Reacting to the incident, the Nigerian Air Force said personnel on board the C-130 aircraft that landed in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, were safe and receiving cordial treatment from Burkinabe authorities.

The aircraft, which was on a ferry mission to Portugal, made a precautionary landing after the crew detected a technical concern shortly after takeoff from Lagos on 8 December 2025.

According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the crew diverted to the nearest airfield in line with standard safety procedures and international aviation protocols.

The Federal Government has since begun diplomatic efforts to secure the release of the Nigerian soldiers and aircraft.

“The Embassy of Nigeria in Ouagadougou is engaging with the host authorities to secure their release,” said the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, while speaking with our correspondent on Wednesday.

However, a former federal lawmaker from Ekiti State and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Ayodele Arise, has urged President Bola Tinubu to consider military action against Burkina Faso to secure the release of the soldiers.

Arise made the call on Saturday while speaking as a guest on an Arise TV programme, which was monitored by our correspondent.

While acknowledging that the Nigerian Armed Forces are heavily engaged on the home front amid persistent insurgency and banditry, the senator insisted that a military option against Burkina Faso should not be ruled out.

Drawing from historical precedent, Arise recalled Israel’s 1976 Entebbe Raid in Uganda, arguing that decisive action could force a rethink by the Burkinabe authorities.

He said, “I think we should move and do something. As a matter of fact, once they are aware that we want to do that, I am sure that the man who is President there will have a rethink because they are our neighbours.

“Yes, we should be friendly with our neighbours but at the same time we should let them know that they can’t be messing with our country.”

The former lawmaker, who represented Ekiti North in the Senate, also expressed support for the recent military intervention in the Republic of Benin aimed at quelling a coup attempt.

He dismissed suggestions that President Tinubu acted hastily or breached the Constitution by taking action before formally notifying the National Assembly.

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