The Digest:
Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar has formally apologised to Burkina Faso after a Nigerian Air Force jet entered Burkinabè airspace without authorisation and made an emergency landing, resulting in the brief detention of 11 Nigerian servicemen.
Key Points:
- The aircraft was en route to Portugal when it developed technical issues and diverted to Burkina Faso
- 11 Nigerian military personnel were detained but later released and are due to return to Nigeria
- The Alliance of Sahel States (Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger) called the entry a violation and placed air forces on high alert
- AES stated it would “neutralise any aircraft” violating its airspace
- Tuggar led a delegation to Ouagadougou to meet with military leader Capt. Ibrahim Traoré
- He acknowledged “irregularities concerning overflight authorisations” and issued an apology
- Both sides agreed to sustain consultations and deepen bilateral cooperation
- The incident highlights fragile relations between ECOWAS members and the Russia-aligned AES bloc
Sources: BBC, Nigerian & Burkinabè Officials
