Eleven Nigerian military officers were detained in Burkina Faso after their aircraft made an emergency landing in the country, Burkinabè security sources told the BBC.
The Air Force C-130 aircraft entered Burkina Faso's airspace on Monday without authorisation, according to the country's Territorial Administration Minister Emile Zerbo.
In a joint statement, the military governments of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger stated that their prompt investigation confirmed the violation of its airspace and the sovereignty of its member states.
However, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) claimed a technical issue necessitated the plane's emergency landing while en route to Portugal.
The NAF reported that the crew was safe and treated well by Burkinabè authorities but did not clarify whether the officers were officially detained.
The aircraft landed in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso's second-largest city, which was deemed the nearest airfield for an emergency stop.
Contradicting Nigeria’s account, the Sahel nations assert the aircraft entered their airspace without prior authorisation, branding the landing an "unfriendly act". Following this, their respective air forces have been placed on high alert and authorized to respond to further violations.
Political analysts tie this incident to West Africa's shifting military dynamics, particularly the recent deployment of Ecowas troops to Benin amid political unrest following an attempted coup.
Earlier this year, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger withdrew from Ecowas, distancing themselves from democratic reforms imposed by the bloc and fostering closer ties with nations like Russia.
