Burkina Faso has released 11 Nigerian military officers detained after their Air Force transport aircraft made what authorities in Ouagadougou described as an unauthorised landing in the country, officials confirmed on Tuesday.
The officers, two crew members and nine military passengers, were travelling aboard a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) C-130 that diverted to the western city of Bobo-Dioulasso on Monday.
While Abuja insisted the stop was a routine technical emergency landing en route to Portugal, Burkinabè officials countered that the aircraft violated national protocol by entering the country’s airspace without prior clearance.
Territorial Administration Minister, Emile Zerbo, said the unexpected arrival triggered an immediate security response.
“The aircraft flew into Burkina Faso without clearance,” he said, saying that defence and intelligence units were deployed as part of standard national procedures.
The Alliance of Sahel States (AES), made up of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, later issued a strongly worded statement describing the diversion as a “violation of its airspace and the sovereignty of its member states.”
The bloc labelled Nigeria’s action an “unfriendly act” and placed its air forces on maximum alert with orders to neutralise any aircraft that breached AES-controlled airspace.
Despite the tough rhetoric, Burkinabè security officials told the BBC on Tuesday that the Nigerian officers were questioned, cleared and allowed to return home after preliminary checks.
Business Insider similarly reported that the personnel were released after authorities dismissed suspicions linking them to the rescue attempt following the recent coup in Benin.
The Nigerian Air Force maintained a diplomatic posture, stating that a technical fault compelled the C-130 crew to divert “in line with international aviation safety procedures.”
While confirming that its personnel were safe and “treated cordially,” the NAF did not explicitly acknowledge their detention.
The episode comes amid worsening relations between Nigeria and the Sahelian juntas.
Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, all ruled by military governments, have accused Nigeria of overreaching in regional security affairs, particularly in Benin, where Abuja has supported efforts to counter coup threats.
The three states withdrew from ECOWAS earlier this year, accusing the Nigeria-led bloc of political interference and failing to effectively tackle jihadist violence.
In response, they have consolidated military and political cooperation under the AES, severed several partnerships with Western governments including France, and drawn closer to Russia for security support.
In a separate move on Tuesday, Niger announced tighter controls on goods entering from Nigeria. Under the new directive, all imports from Nigeria must be unloaded and inspected at border entry points before any transit procedures.
Colonel Mohamed Yacouba Siddo, who issued the order, said the restrictions were necessary due to “heightened security requirements” and rising suspicions over Nigerian military activity across the Sahel.
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