Nigeria's Foreign Minister Meets Burkina Faso Leader to Resolve Aircraft Detention Crisis

Nigeria's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, met with Burkina Faso's junta leader, Ibrahim Traoré, in Ouagadougou on Wednesday in a high-stakes diplomatic effort to resolve the detention of Nigerian soldiers and their aircraft.

The meeting, which Tuggar confirmed was "initiated by President Bola Tinubu," marks the most direct engagement between the two nations since the incident occurred nearly two weeks ago.

Context of the Crisis

The diplomatic mission follows the forced landing of a Nigerian Air Force C-130 transport aircraft in Burkina Faso on December 8, 2025. The Confederation of Sahel States (AES)—a bloc comprising Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger Republic—accused the plane of violating its airspace. The aircraft was carrying 11 Nigerian soldiers at the time, and both the personnel and the plane have been held in Burkina Faso since.

High-Level Delegation Aims for Resolution

Minister Tuggar led a high-level delegation that included officials from the Ministry of Defence and the Nigerian Air Force. The delegation's stated goal was to engage in "peaceful and constructive talks" aimed at securing the release of the personnel and de-escalating regional tensions.

Nigerian officials have expressed optimism that dialogue will lead to a peaceful resolution, emphasizing the countries' long history of security collaboration in the fight against terrorism in the Sahel region.

*Source: TheCable*

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