Nigeria's Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar has formally apologized to Burkina Faso for the unauthorized entry of a Nigerian military jet into Burkinabè airspace, an incident that led to the detention of 11 Nigerian servicemen.
Tuggar's spokesperson informed that the detained personnel had been released and were on their way back to Nigeria, the exact timing of their return remains undisclosed.
The plane, which was en route to Portugal, faced a technical problem prompting its landing in Burkina Faso, according to reports from the Nigerian Air Force.
This unauthorized landing ignited a diplomatic dispute with the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), comprising Burkina Faso and its neighbors, Mali and Niger.
In a statement, the AES denounced the incident as an unfriendly act, increasing military readiness within their air forces to potentially neutralize any aircraft infringing upon their airspace.
The three AES member states have distanced themselves from the West African regional bloc, Ecowas, in favor of forging closer ties with Russia, while most Ecowas members maintain their alliances with Western nations.
During a visit to Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, Tuggar met with military leader Captain Ibrahim Traoré to address the incident directly.
There were irregularities concerning the overflight permissions, which was regrettable, and we apologize for this unfortunate incident, Tuggar stated during a national broadcast.
Details on when the military personnel and the aircraft will return to Nigeria remain unclear, though it was reported that the servicemen were in good spirits.
Following discussions, both Nigeria and Burkina Faso committed to ongoing consultations and practical measures aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and regional integration.
