“Diplomatic Shock: Nigerian Military Aircraft Seized, Soldiers Still Detained in Burkina Faso”

By Passman Akpos

Abuja — The Federal Government has confirmed that diplomatic discussions are still ongoing over the detention of a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) C-130 Hercules aircraft and 11 Nigerian soldiers by authorities in Burkina Faso, with no release effected as of yesterday.

The aircraft and its crew were seized on Monday after the plane made what Nigerian officials described as a precautionary landing in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso. The NAF had explained that the aircraft, which was en route to Portugal for routine maintenance, developed technical faults that necessitated the unscheduled landing.

However, Burkinabe authorities, backed by officials of the Confederation of Sahel States (AES), accused the aircraft of entering their airspace without clearance, a claim they cited as justification for forcing the military plane to land and subsequently detaining it along with the personnel on board.

Speaking on the development, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Kimiebi Ebienfa, said the Federal Government was actively engaging Burkina Faso to secure the release of both the aircraft and the detained Nigerian military personnel.

“We are engaging them, but they are yet to be released,” Ebienfa said, adding that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had formally taken over the negotiations to ensure a diplomatic resolution and the safe return of the crew and aircraft.

Following the ministry’s assumption of responsibility for the talks, the Nigerian Air Force has remained silent on the issue, declining to comment further while negotiations continue.

Although the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not disclosed details of the discussions, Vanguard reached out to some retired NAF pilots to assess the implications of detaining a military aircraft after an emergency landing. The retired officers, however, urged caution, warning against speculation while diplomatic talks were still in progress.

“In such situations, when the facts of the discussions are not yet clear, assuming a conclusion may jeopardise government-to-government negotiations and lead to avoidable risks,” one retired officer said on condition of anonymity. “I advise we wait for the outcome of the negotiations.”

Meanwhile, Vanguard gathered that Burkina Faso and other Sahel states—namely Mali and Niger—may be leveraging the incident as a bargaining tool. The three countries were previously members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) but were suspended following military coups that overthrew democratic governments.

According to a retired military officer familiar with regional dynamics, the economic sanctions and restrictions imposed by ECOWAS, which these countries believe Nigeria significantly influences, have severely impacted their economies.

“The blockade of trade and movement of goods and services is seriously hurting them,” the officer said. “France no longer does business with them, so they are under pressure. They may see this situation as an opportunity to use Nigeria to negotiate economic relief or assistance by bargaining with the detained military aircraft. But we will see how it goes—that’s my personal opinion.”

As talks continue behind closed doors, Nigerian authorities maintain that diplomatic engagement remains the preferred path to resolving the impasse and ensuring the safe release of the aircraft and its crew.