Burkina Faso Detains 11 Nigerian Soldiers, Seizes Air Force C-130 After Alleged Airspace Violation

Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso– Burkina Faso’s ruling junta has detained 11 Nigerian military officers and seized a Nigerian Air Force C-130 transport aircraft after it reportedly entered the country’s airspace without clearance and carried out an emergency landing in Bobo Dioulasso, Africa Eyes has learnt.

In a statement issued late Monday, the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—the military confederation formed by Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger—said the plane was intercepted after “an in-flight emergency situation” forced it to land.

The aircraft, according to the junta, did not have authorisation to fly over Burkinabe territory.

“The Confederation of the Sahel States informs the public that an aircraft belonging to the Air Force of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a C130 type, was forced to land today, 8 December 2025, in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, following an in-flight emergency situation, while it was operating in Burkinabe airspace,” the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) said in a statement late Monday.”

The alliance confirmed that the aircraft carried “two crew members and nine passengers,” all of whom were later identified as personnel of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

The 11 officers are currently being held by Burkinabe authorities pending investigation.

The AES accused Nigeria of violating the sovereignty of its member states and said an inquiry had already established that the aircraft lacked overflight clearance.

“An investigation was immediately opened by the competent Burkinabe authorities and revealed the absence of authorization for the aircraft to fly over Burkinabe territory. The Confederation of the Sahel States strongly condemns this violation of its airspace and the sovereignty of its member states,” the junta declared.

In a tone reflecting heightened regional tensions, the Sahel coalition announced that it had placed its joint air defence systems on maximum alert, warning that any further breach of its airspace would be met with force.

“Upon the instruction of the Heads of State, air defense and anti-aircraft systems of the confederal space have been placed on maximum alert, in accordance with the Declaration of the College of Heads of State dated 22 December 2024, and have been authorized to neutralize any aircraft that violates the confederal airspace,” the AES said, citing a December 2024 directive.

The incident comes at a time of worsening relations between Nigeria and the Sahel juntas, who earlier quit ECOWAS and formed their own military alliance.

Nigeria’s military authorities had not issued an official response at the time of filing this report.