Burkina Faso has released 11 Nigerian military personnel who were detained after a Nigerian Air Force C-130 aircraft made what authorities in Ouagadougou described as an unauthorised emergency landing in Bobo-Dioulasso, the country’s second-largest city.
The two crew members and nine passengers were cleared to return to Nigeria, though it remains uncertain whether the aircraft itself has been released. Their return followed two days of intense diplomatic exchanges between the governments of both countries.
The Association of Sahel States, made up of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, said the aircraft entered Burkinabe airspace without prior authorisation and labelled the incident an unfriendly act. Burkina Faso’s state news agency later reported that initial findings showed the plane had no clearance to overfly its territory.
Nigerian officials maintain that the diversion was solely a safety precaution. The Air Force explained that the C-130, which departed Lagos on 8 December 2025 for a ferry mission to Portugal, developed a technical issue shortly after take-off and diverted to the nearest suitable airfield in line with aviation safety standards. Air Force spokesperson Ehimen Ejodame confirmed that an investigation is underway and said Burkinabe authorities treated the personnel respectfully during the incident.
The episode came just a day after Nigerian airstrikes targeted a military camp in neighbouring Benin, where soldiers linked to an attempted coup were believed to be hiding. According to Nigerian government officials, the strikes were conducted at the request of Beninese authorities and in line with ECOWAS protocols after the coup plotters seized the national broadcaster and announced the removal of President Patrice Talon.
ECOWAS Commission President Omar Touray warned that recent events underscored rising instability in the region, calling for deeper reflection on the future of democracy and stronger investment in security cooperation.
In Abuja, Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (rtd), urged the armed forces to maintain constant readiness in the face of emerging threats. Speaking at a decoration ceremony for newly promoted senior army officers, he praised the military for its rapid intervention during the attempted coup in Benin, saying their swift response played a role in preventing the takeover. He stressed that modern security challenges demand closer collaboration among all branches of the military, adding that no service can operate effectively in isolation.
The Nigerian Air Force has indicated that plans to resume the Portugal-bound mission will proceed once outstanding issues surrounding the aircraft’s diversion are resolved.
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