The Nigerian government has formally apologized to the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) following an incident where a Nigerian military aircraft entered the airspace of Burkina Faso without proper clearance.
The apology was delivered personally by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, during a diplomatic visit to Ouagadougou on Wednesday, December 17, 2025. Tuggar met with Burkina Faso’s interim leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, to convey the message from Abuja.
Addressing the situation, Tuggar admitted that procedural errors led to the violation. “It is regrettable that there were irregularities in the documents, particularly with regard to authorisation to fly over Burkinabè airspace,” Tuggar stated. “This is unfortunate, and we apologise for this regrettable incident.”
Addressing Diplomatic Tensions
The meeting also touched on recent friction caused by domestic political rhetoric in Nigeria. Tuggar addressed comments made by a Nigerian party leader regarding the airspace incident, describing the remarks as “disparaging” and stemming from a lack of understanding of the on-the-ground reality.
During the talks, Tuggar delivered a message of “solidarity and brotherhood” from President Ahmed Bola Tinubu. He emphasized Nigeria’s support for Burkina Faso’s ongoing security campaigns, specifically praising the country’s recent successes in counter-terrorism operations.
“We discussed several issues related to the security of our region, in particular the fight against terrorism and how we must work together to combat this scourge,” the Minister noted, reaffirming a commitment to closer regional cooperation.
The Nigerian delegation also expressed gratitude for the “spirit of brotherhood” displayed by Burkinabè authorities in their treatment of the aircraft’s crew and passengers, who, according to officials, remain in Burkina Faso.
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