Eleven Nigerian military personnel, pilots and crew of the Air Force (NAF) detained by the authorities in Burkina Faso have been released and they have returned to Nigeria.
According to local media reports on Thursday, the military men were released after high-level diplomatic intervention by the Federal Government of Nigeria after nine days. .
The report added that the Nigerian delegation led by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, concluded their engagements with the Burkinabè Authorities in Ouagadougou, including talks with President Ibrahim Traoré of Burkina Faso.
The delegation, which comprised senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defence and the NAF Headquarters, was mandated to pursue a peaceful and constructive resolution of the matter through dialogue.
The reports said that the Nigerian delegation also conveyed Nigerian government’s enduring commitment to regional security collaboration, dialogue and respect for international norms, adding that the long-standing history of cooperation between Nigeria, Burkina Faso and other members of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
The reports recalled that Nigeria and Burkina Faso have traditionally collaborated in security training, intelligence sharing and regional stabilisation efforts, particularly in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism across West Africa.
The successful resolution of the incident, according to the reports, will deepen bilateral understanding and reinforce collective efforts to promote peace, stability and security in the region.
GIK/APA