The Government of Burkina Faso on Monday said a Nigerian Air Force C130 aircraft carrying 11 military personnel was forced to land in Bobo Dioulasso after allegedly entering the country’s airspace without authorisation.
The incident was disclosed by the Agence d’Information du Burkina, the state-run news agency, which published a statement issued by the Confederation of Sahel States (AES).
According to the statement, translated from French, “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 crew members and nine passengers on board, all military personnel.”
The AES added that investigations by Burkinabe authorities showed that the aircraft had no prior clearance to fly over the country.
The statement noted that the inquiry “highlighted the absence of authorisation to fly over the territory of Burkina Faso for this military device.”
The alliance strongly condemned the development, describing it as a violation of the sovereignty of its member states.
It said the AES “condemns with the utmost firmness this violation of its airspace and the sovereignty of its member States.”
The bloc further warned that its air and anti-aircraft defence systems had been placed on maximum alert, adding that they were “authorised to neutralise any aircraft that would violate the Confederate space.”
As of the time of filing this report, Nigeria has not issued an official reaction to the incident.
