The minister of foreign affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has confirmed that Nigerian soldiers released by Burkina Faso have arrived at an Air Force base in Accra, Ghana. Tuggar announced the development in a post shared on his X handle on Friday evening, following their release after nearly two weeks of detention in the Sahelian country.
“I can confirm that the pilots and crew of NAF C-130 (913) have safely arrived at the Air Force Base in Accra. The successful outcome reflects Nigeria’s commitment to diplomacy, regional cooperation, and the leadership of @NGRPresident Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR @officialABAT , in resolving sensitive matters through dialogue,” Tuggar wrote.
The soldiers were detained after their aircraft made a forced landing in Burkina Faso, an incident the Confederation of Sahel States described as an “unfriendly act.” However, the Nigerian Air Force said the landing was due to a technical concern and followed standard safety procedures. The soldiers were released on December 17 after diplomatic talks led by Tuggar in Ouagadougou.