The Government of Burkina Faso has announced that a Nigerian Air Force aircraft carrying 11 military personnel was compelled to land in its territory on Monday after allegedly breaching Burkinabe airspace.
According to a statement published by Agence d’Information du Burkina (AIB), the state-run news agency, the aircraft—a C-130 transport plane, was intercepted and forced to land in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso’s second-largest city.
The statement, issued by the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) and translated from French, read:
“The Confederation of Sahel States informs the public that a C130 aircraft belonging to the Air Force of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was forced to land today, December 8, 2025, in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, following an in-flight emergency while operating in Burkinabe airspace. The military aircraft had two (2) crew members and nine (9) passengers on board, all military personnel.”
Following the forced landing, Burkinabe authorities launched an investigation which, according to the AES statement, “highlighted the absence of authorisation to fly over the territory of Burkina Faso for this military device.”
The AES strongly denounced the incident, describing it as a breach of national sovereignty.
“The Confederation condemns with the utmost firmness this violation of its airspace and the sovereignty of its member States,” the statement added.
It further warned that the regional bloc’s defence systems were now on heightened alert:
“Air and anti-aircraft defences of the Confederate space put on maximum alert… were authorised to neutralise any aircraft that would violate the Confederate space.”
As of press time, the Nigerian Air Force and the Federal Government have not issued any official response to the incident.
