The Government of Burkina Faso has confirmed that a Nigerian Air Force aircraft carrying 11 military personnel was forced to land in its territory on Monday after allegedly violating the country’s airspace.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued by the Confederation of Sahel States and published by Burkina Faso’s state information agency.
According to the statement, a C130 aircraft belonging to the Nigerian Air Force was compelled to land in the city of Bobo Dioulasso on December 8, 2025, after what was described as an in flight emergency while operating within Burkinabe airspace.
The statement said the aircraft had two crew members and nine passengers on board, all of whom were Nigerian military personnel.
It added that investigations carried out by Burkinabe authorities revealed that the aircraft did not have prior authorisation to operate within the country’s airspace.
The Confederation of Sahel States described the incident as a violation of the sovereignty of its member states and condemned it in strong terms.
The body further stated that air and anti aircraft defence systems within the confederation have now been placed on maximum alert and are authorised to neutralise any aircraft that violates the shared airspace.
As of the time of filing this report, there has been no official response from the Nigerian Air Force or the Federal Government concerning the incident.
The development is expected to attract diplomatic engagements between both countries as investigations continue.
