Yusuf Tuggar, minister of foreign affairs, says Nigerian soldiers released by Burkina Faso have arrived at an Air Force base in Accra, Ghana.
The minister announced the arrival of the soldiers in Accra in an X post shared on his handle on Friday evening.
“I can confirm that the pilots and crew of NAF C-130 (913) have safely arrived at the Air Force Base in Accra. The successful outcome reflects Nigeria’s commitment to diplomacy, regional cooperation, and the leadership of @NGRPresident Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR @officialABAT , in resolving sensitive matters through dialogue,” he wrote.
The Burkina Faso junta had detained the soldiers after their aircraft made a forced landing in the Sahelian country.
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The soldiers were released on Wednesday, December 17, after President Bola Tinubu sent a delegation led by Tuggar to meet with Ibrahim Traoré, Burkina Faso’s junta leader.
A statement issued by Alkasim Abdulkadir, Tuggar’s spokesperson, said both sides amicably resolved the issue concerning the Nigerian Air Force pilots and crew.
The soldiers were detained for nearly two weeks after the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) described the landing as an “unfriendly act carried out in defiance of international law”.
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But the air force said the crew observed a technical concern which necessitated a precautionary landing in Bobo-Dioulasso, a city in Burkina Faso, with the nearest airfield.
NAF said the landing was in accordance with standard safety procedures and international aviation protocols.
Wednesday’s talks between Nigerian and Burkinabe officials over the matter were held in Ouagadougou.
Abdulkadir noted that Tuggar delivered a message of solidarity and fraternity from Tinubu to Traoré, as both sides considered avenues for deepening bilateral relations and strengthening integration within the regional bloc.
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Abdulkadir said the discussions centred on advancing political, security, and economic cooperation, with particular emphasis on coordinated responses to regional security challenges and collective action through existing sub-regional frameworks.
