• Burkina Faso holds NAF C-130 aircraft, 11 soldiers after emergency landing
• Abuja opens high-level diplomatic talks following stalled clearance
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• Sahel bloc links matter to sovereignty tensions after ECOWAS withdrawal
Burkina Faso has continued to detain a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) C-130 aircraft and the 11 military personnel on board, despite ongoing diplomatic engagement by the Federal Government to resolve the standoff.
The aircraft made a precautionary landing in Bobo Dioulasso after the crew detected a technical fault, in line with international aviation safety protocols. However, Burkinabe authorities insist the aircraft entered their airspace without proper clearance, a claim Nigeria disputes.
The disagreement escalated swiftly, drawing the intervention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has opened formal communication lines with Ouagadougou to secure the release of both the personnel and the aircraft.
Officials familiar with the talks said the situation has been complicated by regional political tensions, particularly the strained relationship between Nigeria and members of the Confederation of Sahel States (AES)—Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger—following their withdrawal from ECOWAS.
Diplomatic sources confirmed that the NAF crew adhered to emergency-landing procedures, but ongoing friction between Abuja and the Sahel military authorities has heightened suspicion and slowed the resolution process.
A senior official disclosed that the aircraft had been expected to continue its onward journey to Portugal after the stop, but Burkina Faso has withheld flight authorisation.
Responding to enquiries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs debunked circulating reports that the personnel had been freed. The ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said negotiations remain active.
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“They have not been released as we speak, but we are trying to secure that. We are engaging the Burkina Faso authorities using usual diplomatic channels,” he stated.
Ebienfa added that the ministry has yet to receive clear communication on why the Burkinabe authorities have refused to grant clearance, but assured that efforts are ongoing to ensure the safe return of the detained personnel.
Earlier, the Nigerian Air Force confirmed the emergency landing and said the crew had received courteous treatment from Burkinabe authorities. The NAF expressed hopes that the mission would resume once clearance was granted, a process now stalled.
Burkina Faso’s defence officials, however, described the aircraft’s entry as a breach of their sovereignty, warning that similar incidents would be met with force. Local reports indicate that the detained aircraft carried 11 personnel — two crew members and nine passengers.
The Sahel bloc also said its air-defence systems were placed on heightened alert following the incident and vowed to resist any “unauthorised intrusion” into its airspace.
