The Government of Burkina Faso says a Nigerian Air Force C-130 aircraft carrying 11 military personnel was compelled to land on Monday after entering the country’s airspace without proper authorisation.
The incident was disclosed through a statement released by the Confederation of Sahel States and published by Burkina Faso’s state news agency.
According to the statement, the aircraft — with two crew members and nine passengers, all Nigerian soldiers — was forced to land in Bobo-Dioulasso after declaring an in-flight emergency while flying over Burkina Faso.
Investigations by Burkinabe authorities revealed that the aircraft did not have clearance to operate within Burkina Faso’s airspace.
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The confederation strongly condemned the act, describing the unauthorised entry as a serious violation of the sovereignty of its member states. It warned that its air and anti-aircraft defences had been placed on maximum alert and were authorised to respond decisively to any further breaches.
As of now, neither the Nigerian Air Force nor the Federal Government has issued a statement regarding the incident.
