Burkina Faso’s military authorities, under the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), have detained 11 Nigerian military officers and seized a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) C-130 transport aircraft after it entered Burkinabe airspace without authorization and made an emergency landing in Bobo Dioulasso on Monday.
The incident, disclosed in a late-night statement by the AES, a confederation of Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali—has escalated tensions between Nigeria and the Sahel juntas following their exit from ECOWAS. The AES statement detailed that the aircraft was intercepted while operating in Burkinabe airspace and forced to land due to an in-flight emergency situation.
Subsequent investigations by Burkinabe security and aviation services confirmed the absence of any flight clearance. “An investigation was immediately opened by the competent Burkinabe authorities and revealed the absence of authorisation for the aircraft to fly over Burkinabe territory,” the statement noted.
The onboard personnel included two pilots and nine soldiers, all now held as authorities probe the circumstances.
In response, the AES strongly condemned the breach as a violation of its sovereignty and international aviation norms. “The Confederation of the Sahel States strongly condemns this violation of its airspace and the sovereignty of its member states,” the statement declared, signed by Burkina Faso’s junta leader Assimi Goïta on behalf of the alliance. The three nations have activated maximum alert for their air defense and military systems, authorizing neutralization of any future incursions. “In this regard, and on the instructions of the Heads of State, the air and anti-aircraft defences of the Confederal space… were authorised to neutralise any aircraft that would violate the confederal space,” it warned.
This development occurs amid regional instability, including a recent foiled coup in Benin Republic, though no direct link to the NAF flight has been established in official statements. As of now, Nigeria’s government in Abuja has not issued an official reaction, leaving diplomatic channels to address the detention and aircraft seizure.
The event underscores fragile relations in West Africa, with the AES signaling zero tolerance for perceived unfriendly acts.
