Burkina Faso Frees 11 Detained Nigerian Military Personnel After Unauthorised Landing
Kola Oyelere Kano
Burkina Faso has released 11 Nigerian military personnel detained after a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) C-130 aircraft made an unscheduled landing at the Bobo-Dioulasso airfield, an incident that briefly heightened regional tensions.
The group — two crew members and nine passengers — was held for questioning after Burkinabe authorities said the aircraft entered the country’s airspace without prior authorisation. The unexpected landing sparked suspicions in Ouagadougou that the flight might be linked to the recent failed coup in neighbouring Benin Republic.
Officials in Burkina Faso said the detention was a precautionary step. The country’s Minister of Territorial Administration, Emile Zerbo, noted that security agencies acted “strictly in accordance with national security protocols” given the sensitivity of the regional security environment.
In a joint statement, the military governments of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger — members of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) — condemned the incident as a breach of sovereign airspace and labelled it an “unfriendly act.” They said the situation prompted their air forces to be placed on high alert.
Nigerian authorities, however, maintained that the C-130 was en route to Portugal when it was forced to make an emergency landing due to technical issues. The Nigerian Air Force stressed that its crew adhered to international aviation safety standards and reported that its personnel were treated with respect throughout their detention.
The 11 officers have since been cleared of any wrongdoing and returned safely to Nigeria.
The episode marks another diplomatic strain between Nigeria and the AES bloc, which earlier this year announced its withdrawal from ECOWAS, further complicating security and political dynamics in the region.