9th December, 2025.
Burkina Faso authorities have detained 11 Nigerian military personnel after a Nigerian Air Force C-130 transport aircraft made an emergency landing in Bobo-Dioulasso on Monday, December 8, 2025.
The Alliance of Sahel States (AES), a regional bloc comprising Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, disclosed the incident through a statement broadcast by Agence d’Information du Burkina, the country’s state-run news agency. According to the communiqué, the military transport plane carried two crew members and nine passengers, all Nigerian military personnel, when it was forced to land following what authorities described as an in-flight emergency.
Following the landing, Burkinabe authorities launched an immediate investigation which revealed that the aircraft lacked proper authorization to operate within the country’s airspace. The probe confirmed the absence of mandatory overflight clearance required for military aircraft transiting Burkinabe territory.
The AES strongly condemned the incident, describing it as a serious violation of sovereignty. The regional alliance warned that its air and anti-aircraft defense systems have been placed on maximum alert and authorized to neutralize any aircraft that breaches its airspace without permission.
“The Confederation of the Sahel States most strongly condemns this violation of its airspace and the sovereignty of its member states,” the statement read, emphasizing that the incident constitutes an unfriendly act in defiance of international aviation regulations.
The three-nation alliance, which withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) following military takeovers in their respective countries, has maintained strict control over its territorial boundaries. The bloc’s leadership, under instructions from the Heads of State, has authorized heightened security measures to protect confederal airspace and territorial integrity.