Authorities in Burkina Faso have released 11 Nigerian officers who had been detained after a Nigerian military aircraft made an unauthorized landing in the western city of Bobo-Dioulasso.
The Nigerian government stated that the C-130 aircraft was en route to Portugal and was forced to make an emergency landing due to a “technical malfunction.”
Burkina Faso, however, described the episode as a “violation of national procedures,” noting that the aircraft entered its airspace without prior clearance.
The Sahel Alliance — comprising Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger — labelled the incident an “unfriendly act,” saying investigations confirmed a breach of its aerial sovereignty.
The bloc placed its forces on high alert, issuing orders to “neutralize any aircraft” entering its airspace without authorization.
The incident unfolds amid escalating regional tensions, following the withdrawal of the three Sahel states from ECOWAS earlier this year.
Niger has also recently imposed new security restrictions on goods coming from Nigeria, underscoring the depth of regional security concerns.
