18.12.2025 Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar has formally apologised to Burkina Faso government for the unauthorised entry of a Nigerian military jet into Burkinabè airspace, an incident led to the detention of 11 Nigerian servicemen.

Nigeria's Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar has formally apologised to Burkina Faso for the unauthorised entry of a Nigerian military jet into Burkinabè airspace. The air force personnel have been released but have not yet returned home, Nigeria says.https://t.co/CNLABm3YGU pic.twitter.com/YH2XZfjUTZ

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Tuggar’s spokesperson said that the detained personnel had been released and were due to return to Nigeria, without further details.

The plane was moving to Portugal when it suffered a technical problem and had to land in Burkina Faso, according to the Nigerian Air Force.

Nigeria has sent a diplomatic delegation to the Burkina Faso govt to offer a formal apology after illegally violating the airspace of the Sahel Alliance.

While idiots supporting APC were busy typing nonsense online, we have gone to beg and say sorry.
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The unauthorised landing sparked a diplomatic row with the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) including Burkina Faso and its neighbours, Mali, and Niger.

In a statement, AES characterised it as an “unfriendly act” and said member states‘ respective air forces had been put on maximum alert and authorised to “neutralise any aircraft” found to violate the confederation’s airspace.

The three AES states, all governed by the military, have withdrawn from the West African regional bloc, Ecowas, and aimed at closer co-operation with Russia, while most Ecowas members remain allied to the West.

Tuggar led a delegation to the Burkinabè capital, Ouagadougou, on December 17, to discuss the incident with military leader Captain Ibrahim Traoré.

“There were irregularities concerning the overflight authorisations, which was regrettable, and we apologise for this unfortunate incident,” Tuggar said on national TV.

It remains unclear when the military personnel, reported to be in “high spirits”, and the aircraft will return to Nigeria.

According to Nigeria’s foreign ministry, both sides agreed to “sustain regular consultations and pursue practical measures to deepen bilateral cooperation and regional integration”.