In a serious diplomatic incident, Burkina Faso has detained eleven Nigerian military officers after their aircraft made an emergency landing in the country, according to security sources. The Nigerian Air Force C-130 aircraft allegedly entered Burkina Faso's airspace on Monday without authorization, an assertion confirmed by Burkina Faso's Territorial Administration Minister, Emile Zerbo.
A joint statement released by the military governments of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger stated that their prompt investigation affirmed the violation of airspace and the sovereignty of its member states. In contrast, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) maintains that a technical issue necessitated the plane's emergency landing while it was en route to Portugal.
The Nigerian statement reports that the crew is safe and treated well by Burkinabè authorities, though it remains unclear whether the officers are currently detained. The aircraft landed in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso's second-largest city, as it was the nearest airfield at the time of the emergency.
However, the narrative presented by Nigeria is at odds with the claims of the three countries, collectively known as the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). They asserted that the aircraft's entry into Burkinabè airspace was unauthorized and the incident was characterized as an unfriendly act, prompting their air forces to be placed on maximum alert.
The AES's investigation indicated that the aircraft lacked permission to fly over Burkinabè territory, escalating military tensions in the region, especially with the crew comprising two members and nine military officers.
Political analysts have linked this incident to Nigeria leading a regional mission by Ecowas to stabilize Benin following an attempted coup. This tension is further intensified as Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger withdrew from Ecowas earlier this year, antagonizing the organization while fostering closer ties with non-Western nations.
Despite the diplomatic rift, the NAF has assured the public of adherence to operational standards and plans to resume the mission to Portugal promptly.
