Detention of 11 Soldiers in Burkina Faso: FG rules out hostility, begins negotiation

As reactions continue to trail the detention of 11 military officers and the seizure of the Nigeria Air Force aircraft by the Burkinabe government over alleged airspace violation, the Federal Government of Nigeria has ruled out hostility with Burkina Faso and opened diplomatic engagement.

The high level diplomatic engagement was to ensure the release of the detained officers and the aircraft as soon as possible.

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The development has seen the engagement of officials from the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Defence headquarters and the ECOWAS, CAPITAL POST has learnt.

Meanwhile, confusion has ensued Burkina Faso’s civilian aviation authorities having cleared the space for the aircraft before the military government changed their approval that led to the forced landing of the aircraft.

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A source has likened the development to political issue, but said, the soldiers are being treated nicely as the Nigerian government is working hard to secure their releases.

Another source from Defence Intelligence insisted that NAF crew complied strictly with international procedures which included declaring an in-flight emergency, requesting the nearest safe landing zone, receiving official clearance and landing safely and underwent repairs.

Under ICAO regulations, any aircraft facing an emergency must be granted immediate access to the nearest available airspace for safety reasons.

“This is standard aviation practice,” a senior flight operations specialist also confirmed the procedures. “Once an emergency is declared, sovereignty issues take a back seat until the crew and aircraft are safe.”

Diplomatic engagements are ongoing, and officials expect a resolution soon. Sources insist Nigeria is approaching the matter quietly but firmly, given the unnecessary escalation and the political undertones behind the detention.

“There is no hostility between the two countries,” one diplomat explained. “But the internal politics of the AES has complicated what should have been a routine emergency landing.”

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