The Federal Government has said discussions are still ongoing with Burkina Faso over the detention of a Nigerian Air Force C-130 aircraft and 11 soldiers, noting that they have not yet been released.
The aircraft, its crew and soldiers on board were seized on Monday after it made what the Nigerian Air Force described as a precautionary landing in Bobo Dioulasso while en route to Portugal for maintenance due to a technical fault. Burkina Faso and authorities of the Confederation of Sahel States (AES), however, accused the crew of entering their airspace without clearance, leading to the aircraft being forced to land.
Speaking on the development on Sunday, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Kimiebi Ebienfa, said the Federal Government was actively engaging Burkinabe authorities to resolve the issue diplomatically.
“We are engaging them, but they are yet to be released,” Ebienfa said, adding that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had taken over the negotiations to ensure the safe release of both the aircraft and the detained military personnel.
Following the ministry’s takeover of the talks, the Nigerian Air Force has declined to comment further on the matter.
While official details of the negotiations were not disclosed, retired Air Force officers contacted by Vanguard advised against speculation, saying premature conclusions could jeopardise government-to-government discussions. One of them, who spoke on condition of anonymity, urged patience until the talks are concluded.
Meanwhile, sources suggested that Burkina Faso and other Sahel states, including Mali and Niger, may be using the situation as leverage amid strained relations with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) following their suspension after military takeovers.
One retired officer expressed the view that economic pressures on the Sahel states, worsened by trade restrictions and diplomatic isolation, may be influencing the situation, though he stressed that this was a personal opinion.
The Federal Government has maintained that it is “on top of the situation” and continues diplomatic efforts to secure the release of the aircraft and the detained soldiers.
