Nigeria has issued a formal apology to Burkina Faso following the unauthorised entry of a Nigerian military aircraft into Burkinabè airspace, an incident that resulted in the detention of 11 Nigerian servicemen.
Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar confirmed that the personnel have since been released and are expected to return to Nigeria, though no timeline was given.
According to the Nigerian Air Force, the aircraft was en route to Portugal when it developed a technical fault and was forced to land in Burkina Faso without the required clearance.
The incident triggered diplomatic tensions with the Alliance of Sahel States, which includes Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. The alliance described the incident as an unfriendly act and said its member states had placed their air forces on high alert, authorising action against any aircraft violating their airspace.
The three Sahel states, all governed by military administrations, have withdrawn from the Economic Community of West African States and have strengthened ties with Russia, while most ECOWAS members remain aligned with Western partners.
Tuggar led a Nigerian delegation to Ouagadougou for talks with Burkina Faso’s military leader, Ibrahim Traoré, to resolve the matter. Speaking on national television, the foreign minister acknowledged irregularities in flight authorisation and expressed regret over the incident.
Nigerian officials said discussions between both countries concluded with an agreement to maintain regular consultations and pursue practical steps to strengthen bilateral relations and regional cooperatio
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