The House of Representatives has commenced probe into the continued detention of 11 Nigrian Air Force (NAF) personnel and a C-130 aircraft by Burkina Faso authorities, mandating relevant committees to engage security and diplomatic agencies to secure their release.
The decision followed a motion of urgent national importance moved by Rufus Adeniyi Ojuawo, a retired Air Vice Marshal and member reprsenting Ekiti South West/Ikere/Ise-Orun Federal Constituency.
Burkina Faso’s military government had alleged that the Nigerian aircraft violated its airspace, a claim reported by the Agence d’Information du Burkina, citing a statement from the Confederation of Sahel States (AES).
The AES condemned what it described as a breach of sovereignty.
However, the Nigerian Air Force said the aircraft diverted to the nearest airfield in line with standard safety procedures.
In a statement by its Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the NAF said the crew were safe and receiving cordial treatment, as diplomatic efforts continue to resolve the matter.
The 11 personnel remain detained in Burkina Faso despite the Federal Government’s diplomatic efforts to secure their release.
During the plenary session on Tuesday presided over by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, Ojuawo said the NAF aircraft made a precautionary landing in Burkina Faso, after the crew detected a technical concern shortly after departing Lagos on a ferry mission to Portugal.
The lawmaker maintained that the flight was properly documented and conducted in line with international aviation standards, stressing that the landing was purely for safety reasons.
He dismissed claims circulating in the public space that the aircraft was on an intelligence or surveillance mission, noting that there was no evidence it violated Burkina Faso’s airspace or was intercepted or compelled to land.
“The personnel onboard were standard aircraft crew and mission support officers. The matter is already being addressed through diplomatic engagement by relevant Nigerian authorities,” Ojuawo said.
He warned that misinformation around the incident could undermine Nigeria’s diplomatic standing, strain regional relations and erode public confidence in national institutions, adding that prolonged uncertainty could affect national morale and civil-military relations.
Contributing, Ahmad Munir said the security and democratic environment in the Sahel remained fragile, stressing Nigeria’s role as a stabilising democratic force in the region.
He called for accountability across the defence and foreign affairs leadership and stronger engagement with ECOWAS partners to ensure the safe return of the detained personnel.
Also speaking, Donald Ojogo described the situation as a delicate diplomatic challenge and called for the retooling and professionalisation of Nigeria’s foreign service to better manage complex international engagements.
After the brief debate, the House mandated the Committees on Foreign Affairs, Defence, Nigerian Air Force and National Security to jointly interface with the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant intelligence agencies, and report back within two weeks.
The lawmakers also urged the Federal Government to leverage bilateral channels, African Union frameworks and sustained diplomacy to ensure the expeditious release of the aircraft and personnel.
The Office of the National Security Adviser was tasked with coordinating inter-agency communication and providing timely public briefings to curb misinformation without compromising sensitive diplomatic processes.
