Shehu Sani Warns Traoré: Detention of Nigerian Airmen Could Ignite Diplomatic Crisis

Former Senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, has issued a stern and public warning to Burkina Faso’s military leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, over the continued detention of 11 Nigerian Air Force (NAF) personnel, describing the action as provocative, dangerous, and diplomatically reckless.

Sani waded into the escalating Nigeria–Burkina Faso diplomatic standoff on Saturday, December 14, via his official X (formerly Twitter) account, where he condemned the prolonged detention as unacceptable between friendly African nations. He cautioned that a leader already grappling with regional and international pressure should avoid opening new fronts of hostility.

> “A country facing isolation should be careful not to manufacture fresh enemies,” Sani warned, in a message widely interpreted as a direct caution to the Ouagadougou regime.

How the Crisis Began

According to credible reports, the detained airmen have been in Burkinabè custody since December 8, following an emergency landing by a Nigerian Air Force C-130 aircraft in Bobo-Dioulasso. The aircraft was reportedly en route from Lagos to Portugal when it encountered a situation that necessitated an unscheduled landing.

Nigerian authorities have maintained that the landing was carried out strictly in line with international aviation safety protocols, stressing that the aircraft posed no security threat and followed established emergency procedures.

However, Burkina Faso—alongside members of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—allegedly interpreted the incident as an unauthorized airspace intrusion, a claim Nigeria has firmly rejected.

Despite earlier rumors suggesting the airmen had been released, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs has officially confirmed that the officers remain in detention, further inflaming public anger and diplomatic unease.

The development has sparked widespread concern across Nigeria, with citizens, analysts, and political figures closely monitoring the situation, fearful that continued delay could strain bilateral relations and undermine regional cooperation in West Africa.

As pressure mounts on Ouagadougou, all eyes are now on diplomatic channels to see whether calm heads will prevail—or whether this standoff will spiral into a deeper regional dispute.