Ouagadougou – Burkina Faso has impounded a Nigerian Air Force C-130 Hercules transport aircraft and detained its 11 crew and passengers after the plane made an unscheduled emergency landing in Bobo-Dioulasso on Sunday, December 8, 2025, amid rising tensions between the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) and Nigeria.
The aircraft, carrying two crew members and nine military personnel, was en route from Nigeria to Senegal when it declared an in-flight emergency and diverted to the nearest suitable airport in western Burkina Faso. Sources familiar with the incident say the diversion followed standard international aviation protocol for aircraft in distress.
However, Burkinabè authorities claim the plane lacked prior overflight authorisation and entered its airspace without transponders active, prompting an immediate investigation and seizure of the aircraft. The 11 Nigerians remain in military custody while diplomatic contacts continue.
A joint AES statement issued late Monday described the incident as a “serious violation of sovereignty” and warned that any future unauthorised intrusions, especially by belligerent aircraft, “will be neutralised without prior notice.” The statement linked the heightened alert to last week’s failed coup attempt in Benin, which saw Nigerian forces provide rapid air and ground support to Cotonou.
Nigeria has yet to issue an official response, but defence sources in Abuja insist the flight was routine, the emergency genuine, and that emergency diversions do not require advance clearance under ICAO regulations.
The incident marks the sharpest direct confrontation yet between Nigeria and the AES trio (Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger) since the three countries formally exited ECOWAS in January 2025. Analysts say it underscores the deepening trust deficit in the Sahel, where jihadist groups continue to expand despite the juntas’ repeated pledges to crush the insurgency through military means alone.
Regional observers now fear the standoff could further complicate cross-border counter-terrorism efforts at a time when JNIM and IS-Sahel are intensifying attacks across the Liptako-Gourma region and pushing south toward coastal states.
