A Nigerian aircraft and its crew, recently detained in Burkina Faso for allegedly violating the country’s airspace, have arrived safely in Ghana following successful diplomatic interventions led by Col. Larry Gbevlo-Lartey (rtd).
Ghana’s Special Envoy for the Sahel, Col. Larry Gbevlo-Lartey (rtd), received the crew on Saturday, December 20, describing the resolution as a testament to West Africa’s shared brotherhood.
Welcoming them on behalf of President John Mahama, Col. Gbevlo-Lartey praised both Nigeria and Burkina Faso for opting for dialogue instead of escalation.
He said the peaceful settlement reflected the region’s commitment to cooperation at a time when security tensions are still high in the Sahel.
“This incident is an indication that we are brothers and sisters in the West African subregion and can resolve our differences in a neighbourly manner,” he stated, commending the two governments for their restraint.
According to the Presidency’s communications office, the crew will remain in Ghana temporarily to rest and conduct mandatory technical checks on the aircraft. Once cleared, they will continue their journey to Portugal, where the plane is scheduled for servicing.
The mediation underscores Ghana’s active diplomatic posture in the Sahel, where instability, military takeovers, and tightened airspace controls have heightened sensitivities around aviation and cross-border movement.
Col. Gbevlo-Lartey—appointed earlier this year as the President’s Special Envoy for the Sahel—has been spearheading Ghana’s engagement with neighbouring states amid growing regional fragmentation.
The standoff between the aircraft and Burkinabè authorities comes at a time when several West African countries are recalibrating their security protocols, particularly within the Sahel belt.
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