Airspace violation: Nigeria issues an official apology to Burkina Faso
Nigeria officially apologized to Burkina Faso following the violation of Burkinabè airspace by a Nigerian aircraft. This diplomatic step was conducted at the highest level by the Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Youssouf Maitama Tuggar, who was received in audience at the Koulouba Palace in Ouagadougou by the President of Burkina Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traoré.
Ministre des Affaires étrangères de la République fédérale du Nigéria, M. Yusuf Maitama TUGGAR
Leading a delegation mandated by Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Nigerian foreign minister came to express his country’s regret over an incident described as “unfortunate”, resulting from administrative irregularities in the procedures for authorizing the overflight of Burkinabè airspace. According to the minister, shortcomings were found in the documents related to flight authorizations, which led to this unintentional violation.
“It is regrettable that there were irregularities in the documents, notably regarding authorizations to overfly Burkinabè airspace. This is unfortunate and we present our apologies for this incident,” Youssouf Maitama Tuggar said at the end of the audience.
The Nigerian minister also mentioned controversial remarks made by a Nigerien political leader following the incident, saying they stemmed from a misunderstanding of the situation. He furthermore praised the attitude of the Burkinabè authorities, the government and the people for the warm welcome and the appropriate treatment given to the crew involved. According to him, President Ibrahim Traoré was personally informed of the care provided to the crew as soon as they arrived on Burkinabè territory.
Rekindling relations
Beyond this diplomatic incident, the meeting allowed both parties to address issues of common interest, notably the fight against terrorism in the West African sub-region. The Nigerian foreign minister highlighted the progress made by Burkina Faso in this area, saying these advances provide experiences from which neighboring countries can draw inspiration.
“We discussed regional security and how we must fight terrorism together. Burkina Faso has recorded significant successes, and there are important lessons to be learned,” he said.
Youssouf Maitama Tuggar finally called for strengthened security cooperation between Nigeria, Burkina Faso and other West African countries, in a spirit of African brotherhood and solidarity. He praised the efforts and results achieved by Burkina Faso in the fight against terrorism, and reaffirmed his country’s willingness to consolidate bilateral relations and regional collaboration in the face of common security challenges.