Ghana has received a Nigerian military aircraft and 11 personnel who were detained by Burkina Faso earlier this month, following the resolution of a diplomatic impasse between Abuja and Ouagadougou.
The aircraft and its crew were received in Ghana by President John Dramani Mahama’s Special Envoy for the Sahel, Colonel Larry Gbevlo Lartey, acting on behalf of the President.
Their release comes after days of diplomatic engagement involving Nigeria and Burkina Faso, with Ghana playing a facilitative role.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the Presidential Spokesman and Minister in charge of Government Communications, Mr Felix Kwakye Ofosu, said Colonel Gbevlo Lartey welcomed the Nigerian aircrew and commended the governments of Nigeria and Burkina Faso for resolving the matter amicably through dialogue.
“The incident is an indication that we are brothers and sisters in the West African subregion and can resolve our differences in a neighbourly manner,” Colonel Gbevlo Lartey was quoted as saying.
According to the statement, the Nigerian personnel will rest in Ghana while technical checks are conducted on the aircraft, after which it will be cleared to continue its journey to Portugal for routine servicing.
The incident dates back to December 8, when Burkina Faso authorities detained a Nigerian Air Force C-130 military transport aircraft after it landed in Bobo-Dioulasso, a city in the south-west of Burkina Faso.
The aircraft was carrying a two-man crew and nine other military personnel.
Nigerian authorities explained that the aircraft made an emergency landing as a precaution after a technical issue was detected shortly after take-off.
Burkina Faso, however, maintained that the aircraft had violated its airspace and sovereignty, leading to its detention along with the crew.
The standoff triggered diplomatic engagements between the two countries, culminating in a visit to Ouagadougou by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar.
During the visit, the Nigerian government formally apologised for the incident and held talks with Burkinabe authorities to secure the release of the detained personnel.
The successful resolution of the matter has been widely viewed as a positive signal for diplomacy and regional cooperation at a time when West Africa is grappling with heightened security tensions and strained relations among some states.
Ghana’s presidency said the outcome underscored the importance of dialogue and mutual respect among neighbouring countries and reaffirmed the country’s commitment to peace, stability and cooperation within the subregion.
The release of the aircraft and personnel also highlights the delicate balance between national sovereignty and regional solidarity, particularly in a region where military operations and cross-border movements are often shaped by security exigencies.
With the aircraft now in Ghana and clearance processes underway, officials say the episode has been brought to a close, reinforcing the message that disputes among West African states can be resolved peacefully through diplomatic engagement rather than confrontation.
