NIGERIA’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, on Thursday confirmed that the 11 Nigerian soldiers aboard the Air Force C-130 aircraft that made a forced landing in Burkina Faso remain in the custody of Burkinabé authorities despite earlier reports claiming they had been released.
News Point Nigeria reports that the development has deepened confusion around the diplomatic standoff, with contradictory accounts emerging from both countries over the fate of the detained personnel.
Tuggar made the clarification during a joint press conference with Benin Republic’s Foreign Minister, Olushegun Bakari, at the ECOWAS Commission in Abuja.
Responding to questions from journalists, the minister said negotiations were ongoing with Burkina Faso’s military ruler, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, to secure the soldiers’ release.
“We are discussing how we can resolve this delicate matter as quickly as possible,” Tuggar said. “It is something being handled diplomatically… but yes, they are still in Burkina Faso.”
On Tuesday, the BBC quoted Burkinabé officials as saying the Nigerian troops had been freed and authorised to fly back home. However, Nigerian government sources insisted the information was inaccurate, maintaining that diplomatic engagements were still “active and unresolved.”
The lack of clarity has fuelled speculation over the soldiers’ true status, particularly amid rising tensions between Nigeria and the newly formed Confederation of Sahel States (AES), a bloc comprising Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger Republic.
The diplomatic dispute began after the AES issued a statement on Monday accusing a Nigerian Air Force C-130 aircraft of entering Burkinabé airspace “without authorisation.”
AES described the incident as “an unfriendly act” carried out “in defiance of international law” and said it had authorised member states to “neutralise any aircraft” violating their territory.
The Malian junta leader, Assimi Goïta, also condemned the incident, describing the flight as a provocation.
The Nigerian Air Force, however, provided a different account.
According to a statement issued earlier in the week, the C-130 was on a ferry mission to Portugal when the crew detected a technical fault shortly after departing Lagos on December 8.
Following aviation protocols, the crew diverted to the nearest safe airfield, which happened to be in Burkina Faso before Burkinabé authorities detained both the aircraft and its occupants.
NAF also said the soldiers were safe and receiving “cordial treatment,” but did not comment on their release status.
During the briefing, Benin’s Foreign Minister Olushegun Bakari clarified that the detention of the Nigerian aircraft in Burkina Faso was entirely unrelated to Nigeria’s military assistance in foiling last Sunday’s attempted coup in Cotonou.
“It has nothing to do with the support Nigeria provided to Benin,” Bakari said, addressing speculation linking the incidents.
The detention comes at a time of mounting friction between ECOWAS and the AES bloc, which has taken a defiant stance against longstanding regional security frameworks.
Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali, each governed by military juntas have repeatedly clashed with ECOWAS over sanctions, governance demands, and security cooperation.
Tuggar assured that Nigeria is committed to resolving the issue through diplomatic channels, emphasising that communication with Traoré’s government has been “direct and ongoing.”
The minister did not provide a timeline for when the soldiers might return home.