Burkina Faso has released 11 Nigerian military officers who were detained following the unscheduled landing of a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) C-130 transport aircraft in the western city of Bobo-Dioulasso on Monday.
The detained personnel included two crew members and nine military passengers. Burkinabè authorities allowed their return to Nigeria after completing preliminary checks amid concerns over potential involvement in the recent Benin coup operations, Business Insider reports.
The Nigerian government described the landing as a technical emergency while the aircraft was en route to Portugal. However, Burkina Faso officials said the plane entered the country’s airspace without prior authorisation, prompting an immediate security response.
Territorial Administration Minister Emile Zerbo stated, “The aircraft flew into Burkina Faso without clearance,” noting that the defence and intelligence units acted swiftly to secure the situation.
The incident drew criticism from the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—comprising Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—which called Nigeria’s action a violation of regional airspace and sovereignty. The bloc placed its air forces on maximum alert and threatened to neutralise any unauthorized aircraft.
Despite the tension, Burkinabè authorities questioned the officers, cleared them of wrongdoing, and allowed them to depart safely. The Nigerian Air Force confirmed the crew was unharmed and received cordial treatment but did not confirm whether the officers had been formally detained.
Relations between Nigeria and the AES member states have been strained over the past year, particularly over Nigeria’s involvement in regional security interventions. The Sahel military governments, which previously withdrew from ECOWAS, have since strengthened military cooperation and sought alternative security partnerships, including with Russia.
In a related development, Niger introduced new restrictions on goods entering from Nigeria, requiring all imports to be inspected before transit, citing regional security concerns.
