OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (FN)-On the 8 Dec 2025, Eleven Nigerian soldiers remain in detention in Burkina Faso after their military transport plane made an emergency landing earlier this month, officials said Wednesday.
The Nigerian Air Force C‑130 aircraft was en route to Portugal when it developed a technical fault and diverted to Bobo‑Dioulasso on Dec. 8, according to Nigerian authorities. Burkinabe officials seized the plane and detained its crew, accusing them of entering the country’s airspace without authorization.
Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the detention and said diplomatic efforts are underway to secure the soldiers’ release. “We are pursuing all channels to resolve this matter,” Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar said in Abuja.
Burkina Faso’s military government, part of the Confederation of Sahel States alongside Mali and Niger, described the landing as a violation of sovereignty. In a statement, the bloc warned that unauthorized flights would be “neutralized,” underscoring its hardline stance on territorial control.
The Nigerian Air Force countered that the landing was precautionary and followed international aviation safety protocols. Officials stressed that the crew acted out of necessity and not aggression, noting that safety considerations guided the decision to divert.
Nigeria’s parliament has also weighed in. Lawmakers in the House of Representatives passed a motion urging the government to intensify diplomatic efforts and demanded clarity from the Ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs on the soldiers’ status.
Human rights advocates criticized Burkina Faso’s response, arguing that precautionary landings should not result in punitive measures. They warned that such actions undermine international aviation norms and could endanger future emergency responses.
Analysts say the detention highlights growing political fractures in West Africa. The AES bloc has distanced itself from ECOWAS, while Nigeria remains a leading voice within the latter. The incident has further strained relations between Abuja and the Sahel alliance.
The soldiers’ detention comes at a time of heightened regional tension. Nigeria recently intervened in Benin to foil a coup attempt, a move that has unsettled neighboring military governments and complicated Abuja’s diplomatic standing.
Officials in Abuja have emphasized that the detained personnel are safe and being treated in accordance with international standards, though concerns remain about the length of their detention and the conditions under which they are being held.
Observers note that while similar aviation disputes have occurred in Africa, the detention of soldiers following an emergency landing is unprecedented. Past incidents involving Nigerian aircraft abroad were linked to arms shipments or territorial disputes, not precautionary landings.
As negotiations continue, the fate of the detained soldiers remains uncertain. Their case underscores the fragile state of regional diplomacy and the risks of escalating disputes in a volatile region where security cooperation is already under strain.
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