Burkina Faso has released eleven Nigerian military personnel who were held after a Nigerian Air Force transport aircraft landed in the country without approval. Officials confirmed the release on Tuesday, marking the end of a tense episode that briefly intensified diplomatic friction between Nigeria and the military governments in the Sahel.
According to Business Insider, the officers were cleared to return home after Burkinabe authorities completed preliminary security checks. Their aircraft, a Nigerian Air Force C-130, landed on Monday in the western city of Bobo Dioulasso with two crew members and nine other military officers on board.
The Nigerian government said the incident was the result of a technical emergency that forced the aircraft to divert while travelling to Portugal. Burkinabe officials disputed this claim, stating that the aircraft entered their airspace without prior authorisation and therefore violated national procedures.
Minister of Territorial Administration, Emile Zerbo, said the unexpected landing triggered an urgent security response involving defence and intelligence units. He stressed that any aircraft flying into the country without clearance must be treated as a potential threat.
The military governments of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, which now operate jointly under the Alliance of Sahel States, issued a strong joint statement late Monday condemning the landing as a confirmed breach of their airspace and the sovereignty of all member states. They described the action as unfriendly and announced that their air forces were placed on maximum alert, with instructions to neutralise any aircraft that entered their territory without permission.
Despite the strong wording, Burkinabe officials later told the BBC that the Nigerian officers had been interviewed, found not to pose a threat and allowed to leave soon after.
The Nigerian Air Force offered a calmer version of events, explaining that a technical issue forced the diversion and that the crew complied with international aviation safety standards. The Air Force also said its officers were treated courteously by the host country, though it did not explicitly address whether they were detained.
This incident comes amid worsening relations between Nigeria and the three Sahelian juntas. The governments in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, all of whom seized power through military takeovers, have accused Nigeria of overstepping its role in regional security issues, especially in neighbouring Benin where Nigeria has supported efforts to prevent coup attempts.
The three states withdrew from ECOWAS earlier this year, accusing the organisation, led by Nigeria, of political interference and failing to provide meaningful support against armed insurgents. Since then, they have strengthened ties within the Alliance of Sahel States, distanced themselves from Western partners including France, and moved closer to Russia for military assistance.
In a related development, Niger has introduced tighter controls on goods coming from Nigeria, citing increased security concerns and suspicions of Nigerian military activity in the Sahel. Colonel Mohamed Yacouba Siddo announced that all goods originating from Nigeria must now be unloaded and inspected at entry points before being allowed to transit.
Earlier reports from Sahara Reporters had noted that the eleven Nigerian officers were held and the C one thirty aircraft was seized in Bobo Dioulasso after what authorities described as an unauthorised landing. The incident has contributed to rising tensions between Abuja and the military regimes in the region.
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