The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has dismissed as false recent media reports alleging that one of its C-130 aircraft was grounded by Burkinabe authorities for entering the country’s airspace without permission.
According to the reports widely circulated by online platforms, the aircraft, carrying 11 military personnel, was said to have been forced to land on Monday by the Government of Burkina Faso. The stories, citing the Agence d’Information du Burkina and attributed to the Confederation of Sahel States (AES), claimed the aircraft’s flight constituted a breach of Burkina Faso’s sovereignty.
The translated AES statement reportedly stated that the aircraft “was forced to land today, December 8, 2025, in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, following an in-flight emergency while operating in Burkinabe airspace.” It added that the C-130 had “two crew members and nine passengers—all Nigerian military personnel.”
Burkinabe authorities also claimed that preliminary findings showed the aircraft lacked overflight clearance, prompting the AES to denounce the incident as an infringement on the sovereignty of its member states. The bloc further warned that its air and anti-aircraft defence systems had been placed on maximum alert and were “authorised to neutralise any aircraft that would violate the Confederate space.”
However, in a swift clarification, the Director of Public Relations and Information for the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, described the reports as misleading. He explained that the aircraft was not grounded by Burkina Faso but had made a precautionary landing due to a technical issue during a ferry mission to Portugal on December 8, 2025.
Ejodame stated: “Following takeoff from Lagos, the crew observed a technical concern which necessitated a precautionary landing in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso—the nearest available airfield—in line with standard safety procedures and international aviation protocols. The NAF crew is safe and has received cordial treatment from the host authorities.”
He added that arrangements were already in progress for the aircraft to resume its mission as planned.
Ejodame expressed appreciation for the cooperation extended by Burkinabe officials and reaffirmed the Nigerian Air Force’s dedication to maintaining the highest levels of operational professionalism, safety, and the welfare of its personnel while carrying out its constitutional duties.
