The Alliance of Sahel States has raised strong concerns over the emergency landing of a Nigerian military aircraft in Burkina Faso.
The alliance, made up of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, issued a joint statement on Monday warning that further breaches of their airspace would not be taken lightly.
According to the statement, the Nigerian aircraft, which was transporting 11 military personnel, entered Burkinabe airspace without official clearance.
The governments of the three countries described the incident as a violation that could undermine regional security efforts already facing pressure from insurgency challenges.
“An aircraft belonging to the Air Force of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, type C-130, was forced to land today in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, following an in-flight emergency situation while it was operating in Burkinabe airspace,” the alliance said in the statement broadcast across state channels.
The leadership of the three countries—Burkina Faso’s Ibrahim Traoré, Mali’s Colonel Assimi Goita, and Niger’s General Abdourahmane Tchiani—held consultations after the incident.
They collectively condemned what they described as an “unfriendly act,” stating that foreign military aircraft must follow established procedures before entering the region’s controlled airspace.
Following the development, the alliance announced that their air forces had been placed on heightened readiness.
They also disclosed that military units had been authorised to “neutralise any aircraft” that violates the airspace of the confederation without permission.
The statement, however, did not give details about the condition or status of the 11 Nigerian military personnel on board the C-130 aircraft after the landing. Nigerian authorities had not released an official response as of the time of filing this report.
Relations between the Sahel alliance and neighbouring West African countries have remained delicate since Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso cut ties with ECOWAS earlier this year.
The three nations have continued to strengthen their internal bloc while edging away from Western influence, especially France, and building closer ties with Russia.
