African state places defenses on maximum alert over ‘airspace threat’
The Alliance of Sahel States (AES) has placed its defenses on maximum alert after Burkina Faso’s military government grounded a Nigerian Air Force plane for allegedly violating the country’s airspace. The move comes a day after the Nigerian Army carried out operations to help foil a coup in neighboring Benin.
The authorities said on Monday that the C-130 aircraft, carrying 11 military personnel, was forced to land “following an in-flight emergency situation” in Bobo-Dioulasso, located in southwestern Burkina Faso, roughly 910km (565 miles) from Cotonou, Benin’s economic capital.
“An investigation was immediately opened by the competent Burkinabe authorities and revealed the absence of authorization for the overflight of Burkinabe territory by this military aircraft,” according to an official statement.
The AES has condemned the “unfriendly act” by Nigeria as a “disregard of international law” and a violation of the sovereignty of its member states.
The group said it has taken measures to guarantee the security of its airspace, including placing its air defense systems on maximum alert and “authorized to neutralize any aircraft that violates the confederal airspace.”
Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger formed the AES in late 2023 and withdrew from the West African regional bloc ECOWAS after tensions sparked by military takeovers in the three former French colonies. Ouagadougou, Bamako, and Niamey accused ECOWAS of serving as a tool for foreign powers, particularly France, after the bloc threatened military intervention to restore constitutional order in Niger.
The AES has also previously accused Benin and Nigeria of serving as logistical hubs for French-backed operatives allegedly plotting to destabilize the Sahel, which has been grappling with a jihadist insurgency for more than a decade.
Abuja has dismissed the claims and, in its latest response, described the aircraft incident as a “safe precautionary landing” during a ferry mission to Portugal.
In a statement on Tuesday, Nigerian Air Force spokesperson Ehimen Ejodame said the crew noticed a technical fault after takeoff from Lagos and diverted to Bobo-Dioulasso, “the nearest airfield… in accordance with standard safety procedures and international aviation protocols.”
Ejodame claims the personnel are safe and have received “cordial treatment” from the “host authorities,” adding that plans are underway to resume the mission.
