FG have been urged to consider military action aginst Burkina Faso over detained soldiers.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that a former senator representing Ekiti North, Ayodele Arise, has called on the Federal Government to consider stronger measures; including possible military action to secure the release of Nigerian soldiers currently detained in Burkina Faso.
Speaking on Saturday during an interview on Arise Television, Arise argued that Nigeria must go beyond diplomacy and project strength when dealing with neighbouring countries on sensitive security matters. According to him, demonstrating readiness to act could pressure the Burkinabe authorities into rethinking their stance.
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“I think we should move and do something. As a matter of fact, once they are aware that we want to do that, I am sure that the man who is president there will have a rethink because they are our neighbours,” he said.
While acknowledging that Nigeria’s armed forces are already stretched by insurgency and banditry at home, the former lawmaker maintained that the country must still assert its regional influence. “Yes, we should be friendly with our neighbours, but at the same time we should let them know that they can’t be messing with our country,” Arise added.
He cited Israel’s 1976 Entebbe raid in Uganda as an example of decisive military action used to force a change in another country’s position, suggesting that firmness can sometimes succeed where diplomacy stalls.
Arise’s comments followed confirmation by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, that 11 Nigerian military personnel remain in detention in Burkina Faso after a Nigerian Air Force C-130 aircraft made an emergency landing in the country. Tuggar disclosed this while speaking to journalists at the ECOWAS Commission in Abuja, noting that diplomatic efforts were ongoing to resolve the situation.
“We are discussing how we can resolve this delicate matter as quickly as possible, and we’re talking. So it’s something that is being handled diplomatically,” the minister said.
Tuggar also dismissed reports linking the detained officers to Nigeria’s recent military involvement in the Republic of Benin, clarifying that the aircraft had no connection to any rescue mission or alleged coup plot.
Burkina Faso’s Minister of Territorial Administration, Emile Zerbo, had earlier claimed that the aircraft violated national procedures by entering the country’s airspace without authorisation, an assertion Nigerian officials have disputed.
Arise also defended President Bola Tinubu’s approval of military intervention in the Republic of Benin, rejecting claims that the president acted hastily or breached constitutional provisions by not immediately informing the National Assembly.
Beyond regional security concerns, the former senator criticised domestic legislative practices, particularly the Senate’s use of the “take-a-bow-and-go” approach during the screening of ambassadorial nominees. He said the method, though not illegal, limits lawmakers’ ability to properly assess candidates for sensitive diplomatic positions.
“There are two ways to look at that. It is either the President and the security agencies have done a good job of due diligence of the candidates, and the Senators have read their profiles, resumes, achievements and contributions to national development,” he said.
Arise added that more rigorous questioning during such screenings would better serve both lawmakers and the public, insisting that nominees should be allowed to justify their appointments openly.
