13.12.2025
Burkina Faso is still keeping 11 Nigerian military officers and a C-130 aircraft they are flying, a week after they made an emergency landing in the Bobo Dioulasso.
Despite diplomatic efforts to get the plane and the 11 eleven crew members released, the military junta ruling in Burkina Faso has so far ignored the Nigerian government’s call for the release of the officers.
Speaking on the issue Saturday former member of the Nigerian Senate Ayodele Arise, said it was about time President Bola Ahmed Tinubu considers military options to pressure Burkina Faso over the continued detention of Nigerian soldiers
“I think we should move and do something. As a matter of fact, once they are aware that we want to do that, I am sure that head of state there will have a rethink because they are our neighbours,” Senator Arise on ARISE TV.
“Yes, we should be friendly with our neighbours, but at the same time we should let them know that they can’t be messing with our country.”
Meanwhile the military junta headed by Col Ibrahim Traore has said the circumstances of the aircraft landing in the western part of the country is still under investigations and once that it was clear that the soldiers were not on a sinister mission they would be released.
Shortly after the landing of the aircraft the Alliance of Sahel States made up of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger issued a strong warning they will be shoot down any aircraft that entered their air space. They were apparently concerned about the role Nigeria played in thwarting an attempted coup in Benin Republic.