FG begins negotiations with Burkina Faso on detained NAF aircraft, crew

The Federal Government has initiated high-level diplomatic talks with authorities in Burkina Faso to ensure the safe release of a Nigerian Air Force C-130 aircraft and 11 military personnel who have been detained in the country for the past three days.

The aircraft and its crew were taken into custody by the Burkinabe military government on Monday after allegedly entering the country’s airspace without proper authorization. The incident has heightened diplomatic tension between the two West African nations, prompting Nigeria to seek a swift and peaceful resolution through official channels.

Senior military sources confirmed that the matter has now moved beyond the Nigerian Air Force and is being handled directly by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“They have not been released yet. The matter is now being handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We hope they will be released soon with their intervention,” a military source told one of our correspondents on Wednesday.

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, also confirmed that the Nigerian Embassy in Ouagadougou had opened discussions with Burkinabe authorities.

“The Embassy of Nigeria in Ouagadougou is engaging with the host authorities to secure their release,” he said.

Burkina Faso’s state-run news agency, Agence d’Information du Burkina, had earlier reported that the aircraft was intercepted for violating the country’s airspace without clearance.

The government, through the Confederation of Sahel States (AES), condemned the incident, describing it as a breach of sovereignty.

The AES statement noted that investigations uncovered “the absence of authorisation to fly over the territory of Burkina Faso for this military device,” adding that it “condemns with the utmost firmness this violation of its airspace and the sovereignty of its member States.”

In response, the Nigerian Air Force offered a different account, saying the aircraft was not seized for violation but made a precautionary landing in Bobo-Dioulasso after the crew detected a technical issue shortly after takeoff from Lagos on December 8, 2025.

A statement issued Tuesday by NAF spokesperson, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, explained that the crew followed standard global aviation safety protocol by diverting to the nearest suitable airfield.

Ejodame added that the personnel on board were safe and receiving respectful treatment from Burkinabe authorities.

He further disclosed that arrangements were underway to resolve outstanding issues and resume the aircraft’s ferry mission to Portugal as originally planned.