The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says its C-130 aircraft landed in Burkina Faso only as a safety measure and not because it violated the country’s airspace.
This was explained by Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the NAF spokesperson.
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He said the plane was flying from Lagos to Portugal on December 8, 2025, when the crew noticed a technical problem.
Because of this, they made a precautionary landing at the nearest airport, which was in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.
He added that this followed normal safety rules and international aviation procedures.
There were earlier reports that Burkina Faso had detained the 11 crew members for entering its airspace without permission. But Ejodame said this was not true.
According to him, the crew members are safe and have been treated respectfully by Burkinabe authorities.
He also said the mission will continue as planned once everything is resolved. NAF thanked Nigerians for their support and assured that it always follows strict safety and operational standards.
Meanwhile, the Alliance of Sahel States—made up of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso—criticised the emergency landing.
In a statement, the group said the Nigerian aircraft did not have permission to fly over Burkina Faso and called the landing an “unfriendly act”.
They also placed their air forces on high alert and warned that any aircraft violating their airspace could be neutralised.