ABUJA, Dec. 13, 2025 (Naija247news) – A former Ekiti State lawmaker and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ayodele Arise, has urged President Bola Tinubu to consider a military option against Burkina Faso to secure the release of Nigerian soldiers currently being detained in the West African country.
Arise made the call on Saturday while speaking as a guest on an Arise Television programme, monitored by Naija247news, arguing that Nigeria must project strength in defending its sovereignty and military personnel, even as it pursues diplomatic engagement.
While acknowledging that the Nigerian Armed Forces are overstretched by ongoing counterinsurgency and anti-banditry operations at home, the former senator insisted that military action should not be ruled out in dealing with Burkina Faso.
Drawing on historical precedent, Arise referenced Israel’s 1976 Entebbe Raid in Uganda, noting that decisive action could compel the Burkinabe authorities to reconsider their stance.
“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.
“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, who represented Ekiti North Senatorial District, also expressed support for Nigeria’s recent military intervention in the Republic of Benin to quell an attempted coup, dismissing claims that President Tinubu acted hastily or violated constitutional provisions by moving before formally briefing the National Assembly.
The comments came barely 24 hours after the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, confirmed that the 11 Nigerian military personnel detained after an emergency landing in Burkina Faso remain in custody.
Tuggar disclosed this while speaking to journalists at the ECOWAS Commission headquarters in Abuja, stressing that diplomatic channels remain open.
“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.
He further clarified that the Nigerian Air Force aircraft involved had no link to Nigeria’s intervention in the failed coup in Benin Republic.
The detained personnel were aboard a C-130 aircraft that made an emergency landing in Bobo-Dioulasso, south-western Burkina Faso, and were subsequently arrested amid suspicion that they were part of a rescue mission related to the Benin crisis.
However, Burkina Faso’s Minister of Territorial Administration, Emile Zerbo, claimed the aircraft violated national procedures by entering Burkinabe airspace without prior authorisation.
Beyond regional security concerns, Arise also weighed in on domestic legislative practices, particularly the Senate’s adoption of the “take-a-bow-and-go” approach in screening ambassadorial nominees.
While not faulting the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, he argued that more rigorous questioning during screenings would better equip lawmakers to assess the competence of nominees for sensitive diplomatic roles.
“There are two ways to look at that. Either the President and the security agencies have done thorough due diligence on the candidates, and the Senators have studied their profiles, or an opportunity for deeper engagement has been lost,” Arise said.
“It is a learning process. The fact that you are a Senator doesn’t mean that you know everything. Engagement allows nominees to justify their appointments and helps Senators better understand their professional backgrounds.”
Babatunde Akinsola ✔
Godwin Okafor is the Publisher & CEO of Naija247news Media Group LLC, an independent investigative news platform delivering accurate, data-driven reporting on Nigerian and global politics, economy, finance, and business. Founded in October 2010, Naija247news specializes in developmental journalism, providing timely insights and analysis to readers across Nigeria and the diaspora.
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