The Federal Government said yesterday that talks are still ongoing regarding the detention of a Nigerian Air Force C-130 aircraft and 11 soldiers, who have not yet been released by Burkina Faso.
The aircraft and its crew were seized on Monday after making what the Nigerian Air Force described as a precautionary landing in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso. The plane was on its way to Portugal for maintenance and had reportedly landed due to technical problems.
Burkina Faso’s government, along with the Confederation of Sahel States (AES), claimed the crew entered their airspace without permission, which led to the forced landing of the Hercules plane.
Speaking on the situation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said the federal government is actively negotiating with the authorities to resolve the matter diplomatically.
“We are engaging them, but they are yet to be released,” Ebienfa said. He added that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has taken charge of discussions to ensure the safe return of both the aircraft and the military personnel.
ICYMI :
With the ministry handling the negotiations, the Nigerian Air Force has chosen not to comment. Vanguard also reached out to retired NAF pilots to get their views on the implications of detaining a military aircraft after an emergency landing, but no official comment was provided.
