Burkina Faso’s military authorities have confirmed the arrest of 11 Nigerian military personnel and the seizure of a Nigerian Air Force C-130 transport aircraft after it reportedly made an emergency landing while “illegally entering AES airspace.”
In a statement released late Monday, the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) — comprising Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali — said the Nigerian Air Force C-130 landed in Bobo-Dioulasso on December 8, 2025, without proper clearance.
According to the bloc, an investigation by Burkinabe authorities found that the aircraft had no authorization to fly over Burkina Faso. The AES condemned the incident as a breach of the confederation’s airspace and sovereignty.
The statement read:
“Following this unfriendly act, carried out in violation of international law and civil and military aviation rules, measures have been taken to safeguard the confederation’s airspace, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of member states, and the safety of AES populations.”
The bloc added that air defense and anti-aircraft units across the confederation have now been placed on maximum alert.
“Under the instruction of the Heads of State, air defense systems have been authorized to neutralize any aircraft found violating AES airspace,” the statement concluded.
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