The Federal Government has announced the resolution of the issue surrounding the detention of Nigerian Air Force (NAF) pilots and crew in Burkina Faso.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Yusuf Tuggar, disclosed this in a statement, noting that the detained NAF personnel would return to Nigeria shortly. He said the breakthrough followed a visit by a Federal Government delegation, led by him, to the Burkinabe leader, Capt. Ibrahim Traoré.

The resolution, reached on Wednesday, came after what was described as a constructive engagement between the two governments, reinforcing mutual confidence and underscoring the effectiveness of dialogue in addressing sensitive diplomatic matters.

According to a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the delegation, dispatched by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, delivered a message of solidarity and fraternity to Capt. Traoré. Both sides also explored avenues for deepening bilateral relations and strengthening integration within the regional bloc.

The ministry revealed that talks held in Ouagadougou focused 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.

The statement, signed by the Special Assistant on Media to the minister, Mr. Alkasim Abdulkadir, further disclosed that the Burkinabe leader warmly received the Nigerian delegation and conveyed his appreciation to President Tinubu for the message of goodwill.

“He underscored the long-standing ties between Nigeria and Burkina Faso and emphasised the importance of closer collaboration, particularly in addressing shared security and development challenges across the Sahel and the wider West African region,” the statement read in part.

Mr. Tuggar reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to good neighbourliness and sustained engagement with Burkina Faso, stressing that the country remained firmly supportive of initiatives aimed at strengthening regional cohesion, peace, and economic integration. He reiterated President Tinubu’s readiness to work closely with Burkina Faso in advancing stability and development.

“Both sides agreed to sustain regular consultations and pursue practical measures to deepen bilateral cooperation and regional integration, reflecting a shared resolve to promote peace, unity, and stability in the sub-region.

“The delegation also met with the detained crew, who were in high spirits,” the statement added.

Members of the Nigerian delegation included the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Mr. Mohammed Mohammed; the Chief of Policy and Plans, Nigerian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal A. Y. Abdullahi; Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to ECOWAS, Mr. Olawale Emmanuel Awe; and the Chief of Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Wahab Akande.

The NAF crew had reportedly been detained after the Alliance of Sahel States denounced the emergency landing of a Nigerian military aircraft in Burkina Faso. The alliance—comprising Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso—said in a joint statement that the aircraft had been carrying 11 military personnel and lacked authorisation to fly over Burkinabe airspace.

“An aircraft belonging to the Air Force of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, type C-130, was forced to land today in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, following an in-flight emergency situation while it was operating in Burkinabe airspace,” the alliance said in a statement read on state media in the three West African countries.

The statement described the landing as an “unfriendly act” and said the countries’ respective air forces had been placed on maximum alert and authorised to “neutralise any aircraft” found to violate the confederation’s airspace.