Burkina Faso grounds Nigerian military flight after alleged airspace violation

The Government of Burkina Faso says a Nigerian Air Force C-130 aircraft carrying 11 military personnel was forced to land on Monday after allegedly entering the country’s airspace without authorisation.

The Agence d’Information du Burkina disclosed the incident. The state news agency published a statement from the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) on Monday evening.

According to the translated statement, the aircraft “was forced to land today, December 8, 2025, in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, following an in-flight emergency while operating in Burkinabe airspace.” The AES said the plane had two crew members and nine passengers, all of whom were Nigerian military personnel.

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Burkinabe authorities said a preliminary investigation showed the aircraft did not have permission to fly over the country. The AES condemned what it called a violation of the sovereignty of its member states and said its air and anti-aircraft defence systems had been placed on maximum alert.

The bloc warned that defences “were authorised to neutralise any aircraft that would violate the Confederate space,” signalling heightened tensions between the alliance and neighbouring governments.

Neither the Nigerian Air Force nor the federal government has issued a statement on the incident.

Oluwatosin Ogunjuyigbe is a writer and journalist who covers business, finance, technology, and the changing forces shaping Nigeria’s economy. He focuses on turning complex ideas into clear, compelling stories.

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