…We made precautionary landing — NAF
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
A Nigerian Air Force (NAF) C-130 military aircraft has reportedly been grounded by authorities in Burkina Faso for allegedly entering the country’s airspace without proper clearance.
Ikengaonline learnt that the incident, which occurred on Monday in Bobo-Dioulasso, has sparked renewed diplomatic concerns within the Sahel region.
However, the Nigerian Air Force, in a swift reaction, said the aircraft made a precautionary landing in Burkina Faso due to a technical fault.
According to Agence d’Information du Burkina, the aircraft was conveying 11 Nigerian military personnel — two crew members and nine passengers — when it reportedly made an emergency landing.
Officials of the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) disclosed that preliminary investigations showed the aircraft lacked authorisation to fly through Burkina Faso’s airspace. They described the incident as a violation of national sovereignty and expressed strong displeasure over the unauthorised incursion.
The regional bloc said its air defence and anti-aircraft systems had been placed on high alert, warning that future breaches would attract decisive military responses.
Meanwhile, the military-led governments of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso — under the Alliance of Sahel States — denounced the landing and threatened joint action against any violation of their airspace.
In a joint statement, the alliance said: “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 statement described the development as an “unfriendly act” and announced that their respective air forces had been placed on maximum alert, authorised to “neutralise any aircraft” found violating the confederation’s airspace. It did not, however, disclose the status of the 11 military personnel on board.
The three Sahel states, all under military rule and battling persistent jihadist insurgencies, maintain fragile relations with West African neighbours. In January, they withdrew from ECOWAS after forming their own alliance. They have also distanced themselves from Western partners, particularly France, while forging closer ties with Russia.
But in its official response, the Nigerian Air Force clarified that the aircraft made a safe precautionary landing purely for technical reasons.
NAF’s Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said in a Tuesday statement that the aircraft was on a ferry mission to Portugal when the crew detected a technical issue shortly after take-off from Lagos.
The statement, titled “Safe Precautionary Landing of NAF C-130 Aircraft in Burkina Faso,” explained that the crew diverted to Bobo-Dioulasso — the nearest available airfield — in line with international aviation safety protocols.
According to NAF, all crew members and passengers are safe and have received cordial treatment from Burkinabe authorities. Plans are already underway to resume the mission as scheduled.
“The Nigerian Air Force remains professionally committed to strict compliance with operational procedures and safety standards, and to the protection of its personnel while fulfilling its constitutional mandate,” the statement added.
