M23 SAYS HUNDREDS OF BURUNDI SOLDIERS CAPTURED IN LATEST CONGO OFFENSIVE. (PHOTO).
~ Ebienfa speaks again on the seized aircraft and 11 soldiers in Burkina Faso
The Federal Government has on Sunday December 14 2025, said that discussions were still ongoing over the detention of a Nigerian Air Force C-130 aircraft and 11 soldiers, noting they were yet to be released by the Burkinabe government.
Speaking on this development yesterday, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Kimiebi Ebienfa, said that the federal government was actively engaging the authorities of the country involved to resolve the matter diplomatically.
"We are engaging them, but they are yet to be released," Ebienfa said.
He added that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had taken over the discussions to ensure the safe release of both the aircraft and the Nigerian military personnel.
With the takeover of negotiation of the aircraft and military personnel, the Nigerian Air Force has chosen to keep mute on the matter.
Reports have it that Burkina Faso and other Sahel states, including Mali and Niger, which were members of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, before they were suspended due to violent military overthrow of democratic institutions in their countries, might be trying to use the situation as a bargaining chip.
"My observation is that the blockade of trade, movement of goods and services by ECOWAS, which these three countries feel is under Nigeria’s control, is seriously hurting them and has worsened their economic situation. Don’t forget that France no longer does business with them, so they are in difficulty.
"They feel the way to break out of the difficult situation they find themselves in is to use Nigeria to negotiate a way out or secure some economic assistance or relief by bargaining with the military aircraft. But we will see how it goes. That’s my personal opinion," one retired officer said.
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