The incident, which has raised fresh tensions between Abuja and the military regimes in the Sahel, was disclosed in a late-night statement issued by the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) — the confederation formed by Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali after cutting ties with ECOWAS.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has attributed the diversion of its C-130 transport aircraft to a “technical concern” that forced the crew to make a “precautionary landing” in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, during a ferry mission to Portugal on 8 December.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, NAF’s Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, explained that the aircraft had “departed Lagos before the crew observed a technical concern that required an immediate safety decision,” prompting the diversion.
Ejodame stressed that the crew “carried out a precautionary landing in accordance with established safety procedures and international aviation protocols,” noting that the technical issue made the safety manoeuvre unavoidable.
He also highlighted that, despite the unscheduled stop, “all personnel onboard were safe” and had “received cordial treatment from Burkinabè authorities following the diversion,” underscoring that the host country handled the situation professionally.
According to him, “arrangements are ongoing for the crew to resume the mission as initially planned,” once the technical concern is fully addressed.
Ejodame further assured the public that the Nigerian Air Force “remains committed to strict adherence to operational procedures and global safety standards in the execution of its duties,” adding that the service would “continue to safeguard the welfare of its personnel while fulfilling its constitutional mandate.”
Earlier, SaharaReporters reported that Burkina Faso’s ruling junta detained 11 Nigerian military officers and seized a Nigerian Air Force C-130 transport aircraft after it made an emergency landing in Bobo Dioulasso on Monday, allegedly without clearance to enter the country’s airspace.
The incident, which has raised fresh tensions between Abuja and the military regimes in the Sahel, was disclosed in a late-night statement issued by the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) — the confederation formed by Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali after cutting ties with ECOWAS.
According to the AES, the Nigerian Air Force aircraft was intercepted after it was operating in Burkinabe airspace and forced to land following what authorities described as an in-flight emergency situation.
“The Confederation of the Sahel States informs the public that an aircraft belonging to the Air Force of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a C130 type, was forced to land today, 8 December 2025, in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, following an in-flight emergency situation, while it was operating in Burkinabe airspace,” the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) said in a statement late Monday.