Burkina Faso has reportedly released 11 Nigerian military personnel who were detained following the unauthorised landing of a Nigerian Air Force C-130 aircraft at Bobo-Dioulasso airfield, a move Ouagadougou authorities described as a violation of its Airspace.
The group, consisting of two crew members and nine passengers, was held for questioning amid suspicions that the flight might be connected to the recent failed coup in Benin Republic.
They have since been cleared of any wrongdoing and returned safely to Nigeria.
Burkinabe officials insisted the plane entered their territory without prior approval, prompting an immediate security response, while Nigerian authorities insisted the aircraft made a technical emergency landing en route to Portugal.
Burkina Faso’s Minister of Territorial Administration, Emile Zerbo, said authorities were acting strictly in accordance with national security protocols.
The Alliance of Sahel States (AES) military administrations of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger issued a united statement characterising the occurrence as a “unfriendly act” and a breach of sovereign airspace.
The bloc also stated that their air forces were on high alert because to the incident.
In the meantime, the Nigerian Air Force stressed that its members were treated with dignity during the imprisonment and that the crew adhered to international aviation safety protocols.
The incident exacerbates the already strained ties between Nigeria and the AES, which recently declared its intention to leave ECOWAS.
Join Our Social Media Channels:
WhatsApp: NaijaEyes
Facebook: NaijaEyes
Twitter: NaijaEyes
Instagram: NaijaEyes
TikTok: NaijaEyes
