Burkina Faso’s military authorities have confirmed the detention of 11 Nigerian soldiers and the seizure of a Nigerian Air Force C-130 transport aircraft after what they described as an unauthorised entry into the airspace of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
In a statement released late Monday, the AES said the aircraft, belonging to the Nigerian Air Force, allegedly violated Burkinabe airspace before conducting an emergency landing in Bobo-Dioulasso on December 8, 2025.
The AES—comprising Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, all governed by military juntas—said an investigation by Burkinabe authorities found that the C-130 had no clearance to fly over the territory. The bloc condemned the incident, describing it as a breach of its sovereignty and international aviation protocols.
“Measures have been taken to safeguard the security of the confederal airspace, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of member states, and the safety of the populations of the AES Confederation,” the statement added.
The bloc further disclosed that, under the directive of its Heads of State, air defence units across the region have been placed on maximum alert. Air defense and anti-aircraft systems, it said, have now been authorised to neutralise any aircraft that enters AES airspace without approval.