Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar has confirmed that the 11 Nigerian soldiers aboard a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft that made a forced landing in Burkina Faso are still in the country.
The incident occurred after the aircraft developed a technical issue while en route to Portugal and had to make a precautionary landing in Bobo-Dioulasso, following international aviation safety protocols, according to NAF spokesperson Ehimen Ejodame.
Earlier claims by the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) accused the aircraft of violating Burkinabe airspace, with Mali junta leader Assimi Goita calling it an “unfriendly act.” Tuggar clarified that the landing was purely technical and unrelated to Nigeria’s recent support in foiling a coup attempt in Benin.
Tuggar said discussions are ongoing with Burkinabe junta leader Ibrahim Traoré to resolve the situation diplomatically, adding:
“When you’re flying and you have a problem, you land in the nearest airport. It can happen to anybody… tomorrow, it can be a Burkinabe plane forced to land in Kano or Maiduguri.”
He expressed confidence that the matter would be resolved quickly.
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