The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has confirmed that Nigerian soldiers are trapped in Burkina Faso after their aircraft made a forced landing earlier in the week. Tuggar explained the situation on Thursday during a joint press briefing with his Beninese counterpart, Olushegun Bakari, at the ECOWAS Commission headquarters in Abuja.
The issue began on Monday when the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) announced that an aircraft carrying 11 Nigerian soldiers violated Burkinabe airspace. The AES, made up of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, described the incident as a serious breach.
Mali’s junta leader, Assimi Goita, said the forced landing was an “unfriendly act” that went against international law. The AES later said it had authorised member states to neutralise any aircraft that violated its airspace, underscoring heightened regional tensions.
Tuggar stated clearly that the Nigerian soldiers remain trapped in Burkina Faso, despite ongoing diplomatic communication. According to him, Nigeria is working through appropriate regional channels to secure their release.
The development occurred at the same time Nigerian troops conducted air strikes in Benin Republic to help quell an attempted coup. That incident further heightened sensitivity around military activity in the region.
NAF Responds to Airspace Violation Claims
The Nigerian Air Force later clarified that the C-130 aircraft involved was on a ferry mission to Portugal and not on any hostile operation.
The NAF added that it is cooperating with diplomatic engagements to resolve the matter peacefully.
As diplomatic conversations continue, Nigerian soldiers trapped in Burkina Faso remain at the centre of a growing regional security dispute. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says efforts are underway to ensure their safe return.
