Eleven Nigerian military personnel have been detained in Burkina Faso after their aircraft made an emergency landing in Bobo-Dioulasso, an incident the authorities described as a breach of the country’s controlled airspace.
The arrest was confirmed through a statement released under the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). The statement, which surfaced late Monday on X, was shared by security analyst Brant Grant.
According to the report, the detained personnel were travelling aboard a Nigerian Air Force C-130 aircraft, which the AES claims “illegally entered” its airspace.
In the official statement, the AES wrote:
“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 AES also issued a warning concerning unauthorized flights in its region, stating:
“The AES warns that any aircraft entering its airspace without authorization will be immediately neutralised,”
This development comes less than 24 hours after Nigeria deployed military aircraft to the Republic of Benin following a failed coup attempt in the country.
Although it remains unclear whether the detained Nigerian personnel were involved in any ongoing regional security operation, the AES insisted that the aircraft had “no authorised clearance.”
