Ouagadougou – Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar met Burkina Faso junta leader Ibrahim Traoré in Ouagadougou on Wednesday as diplomatic efforts continue over Nigerian soldiers who have remained in the country after a military aircraft made a forced landing.
Tuggar led a Nigerian delegation to Burkina Faso on the directive of President Bola Tinubu and later told a press conference that the engagement was aimed at resolving the situation through diplomatic channels.
The talks follow an incident nearly two weeks ago involving 11 Nigerian soldiers aboard a Nigerian Air Force C 130 aircraft that landed in Burkina Faso while en route to Portugal. According to the Nigerian Air Force, the aircraft was on a ferry mission when the crew detected a technical concern and carried out a precautionary landing in Bobo Dioulasso, the nearest suitable airfield.
Air Force spokesperson Ehimen Ejodame said the decision to land was taken in line with international aviation safety procedures and standard protocols. He said the crew acted to ensure the safety of personnel and equipment.
The matter later drew regional attention after Mali junta leader Assimi Goita described the landing as an unfriendly act and a violation of international law. Goita was speaking on behalf of the Confederation of Sahel States, which includes Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. The grouping said its member states were authorised to neutralise any aircraft found violating their airspace.
Last Thursday, Tuggar confirmed that discussions with Traoré were ongoing and described the issue as delicate. He said Nigerian authorities were engaging their Burkinabe counterparts to secure a swift resolution, adding that the soldiers were still in Burkina Faso at the time.
Reports later emerged that Burkinabe authorities had released the soldiers following the meeting in Ouagadougou, though Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had not confirmed the development when contacted by the media.
Discussion about this post