The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has said that its aircraft was not forced to land in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, as claimed by the Confederation of the States of the Sahel in its statement on Monday.
According to a statement on Tuesday, NAF’s Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame explained that NAF C-130 aircraft, which was on a ‘mission to Portugal’ experienced a ‘technical concern’ on Monday ‘which necessitated a precautionary landing in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, the nearest airfield, in accordance with standard safety procedures and international aviation protocols’.
Ejodame said that the ‘NAF crew is safe and have received cordial treatment from the host authorities.
‘Plans are ongoing to resume the mission as scheduled.
‘The Nigerian Air Force appreciates the support received during this period and assures the public that NAF remains professionally committed to strict compliance with operational procedures and safety standards, ensuring the protection of its personnel while fulfilling its constitutional mandate’.
NAF’s position is contrary to that of the Confederation of the States of the Sahel, a group of four West African countries — Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger Republic — which claimed that the Nigerian aircraft was ‘forced’ to land in Bobo Dioulasso, following an in-flight emergency while it was operating in Burkinabe airspace.
The confederation said that the NAF jet ‘had no authorisation to fly over Burkinabe territory’, and then condemned the ‘violation of its airspace and of the sovereignty of its member-states’.
It described the incident as an ‘unfriendly act carried out in disregard of international law and international civil and/or military aviation rules’, and that ‘measures have been taken to ensure the security of the confederal airspace, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its member-states, as well as the safety of the populations of the AES Confederation.
‘In this regard, and following instructions from the Heads of State, the air and anti-air defenses of the confederal space have been placed on maximum alert. In accordance with the Declaration of the College of Heads of State dated 22 December 2024, they have been authorised to neutralise any aircraft that violates confederal airspace’.
The confederation members — Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger Republic — withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on 29 January, this year, following a year of tensions over military takeovers in their nations, despite ECOWAS’s attempts to keep them in the bloc, creating a major challenge to regional unity and security cooperation.
These junta-led states cited ECOWAS’s perceived failure to protect members and alignment with foreign powers as reasons for their exit, impacting regional trade and stability.
President Bola Tinubu was the Chairman of ECOWAS’ Authority of Heads of State and Government from 9 July 2023 to 22 June 2025.
