Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar has confirmed that the Nigerian soldiers aboard a military aircraft that made a forced landing in Burkina Faso remain in the country, as diplomatic engagements continue.
Tuggar disclosed this on Thursday at the ECOWAS Commission headquarters in Abuja, while responding to a question during a joint press briefing with his Beninese counterpart, Olushegun Bakari.
The incident occurred on Monday after the Confederation of Sahel States (AES), comprising Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, accused a Nigerian military aircraft carrying 11 soldiers of violating Burkinabe airspace.
Mali’s junta leader, Assimi Goita, described the aircraft’s landing as an “unfriendly act carried out in defiance of international law”.
The bloc also said it had authorised member states to “neutralise” any aircraft breaching its airspace.
The tension coincided with Nigerian troops conducting air strikes in Benin Republic to help counter an attempted coup.
In its clarification, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) said the C-130 aircraft was on a ferry flight to Portugal when the crew noticed a technical issue, prompting a precautionary landing in Bobo-Dioulasso, the nearest available airfield.
READ ALSO: NAF Explains Emergency Landing of C-130 Aircraft in Burkina Faso
NAF spokesperson Ehimen Ejodame said the action complied with standard aviation safety protocols.
Unconfirmed reports suggested that Burkinabe authorities briefly detained the Nigerian personnel before releasing them.
Tuggar said discussions with Burkina Faso’s junta leader, Ibrahim Traoré, are ongoing to resolve the situation and ensure the safe return of the soldiers.
“We are discussing how we can resolve this delicate matter as quickly as possible, and we’re talking. So it’s something that is being handled diplomatically,” he said.
When asked to confirm if the soldiers are still in Burkina Faso, Tuggar replied: “Yes, they are”.
In addition, Bakari clarified that the NAF aircraft saga in Burkina Faso had nothing to do with the support Nigeria provided to foil the coup attempt in Benin.
Tuggar affirmed his counterpart’s statement.
“Absolutely, it was on its way to Portugal and it developed a technical problem and was forced to land,” Tuggar said.
“And this is part of ICAO regulations, it’s under international law. When you’re flying and you have a problem, you land in the nearest airport, and it can happen to anybody.
“Tomorrow, it can be a Burkinabe plane flying, let’s say, to Kenya or somewhere, and then it’s forced to land in Kano or Maiduguri or anywhere else. It can be any other country.”
Tuggar expressed confidence in resolving the matter quickly.
