The Nigerian House of Representatives has formally intervened in the ongoing diplomatic standoff with Burkina Faso over the detention of a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) C-130 military transport aircraft and its 11 military personnel.
The House, in its plenary session today, Tuesday, December 16, 2025, mandated its relevant committees to launch an investigation and interface with key government ministries and intelligence agencies to secure the prompt release of the soldiers and the aircraft.
Following a motion of urgent public importance moved by Hon. Rufus Ojuawo (a retired Air Vice Marshal), the House took the following decisive actions.
The Committees on Foreign Affairs, Defence, Nigerian Air Force, and National Security were mandated to jointly interface with the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and relevant intelligence agencies. They are required to report back to the House within two weeks.
The Federal Government was urged to actively utilize established Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and African Union (AU) frameworks to facilitate cooperation, mutual understanding, and the expeditious release of the aircraft and detained personnel.
The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) was tasked with coordinating inter-agency communication to ensure national security considerations are addressed without escalating the diplomatic situation.
The Federal Government was urged to provide factual public briefings, where appropriate, to counter the significant misinformation and propaganda circulating about the incident.
The continued detention, which began on December 8, 2025, stems from conflicting accounts from Nigeria and the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), which includes Burkina Faso.
The House intervention emphasizes the need for a swift, coordinated, and transparent resolution to safeguard Nigeria’s image and security interests in the sub-region.
