AES accuses Nigeria of violating airspace over military aircraft emergency landing in Burkina Faso

The Alliance for Sahel States (AES) has accused Nigeria of violating its airspace after a Nigerian military transport aircraft made an emergency landing in Burkina Faso.

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In a statement issued on Monday, the confederation constituted by Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger Republic, said the aircraft carried two crew members and nine passengers, all of whom were military personnel.

According to the statement, the aircraft, identified as a C130 belonging to the Nigerian Air Force, touched down in Bobo Dioulasso, a major city in the south-west of the country, during an in-flight emergency while transiting Burkinabè airspace.

It also stated that, upon identifying the aircraft, the Burkinabè authorities opened an investigation, and its findings showed that the Nigerian aircraft did not have authorisation to fly over Burkina Faso.

The body noted that this constituted an infringement of national sovereignty and a breach of international aviation norms.

This recent development could revive the rift between the AES and Nigeria, particularly amid the growing political tension in West Africa.

It also follows the Nigerian army’s intervention in the Republic of Benin to foil the recent coup attempt.

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PREMIUM TIMES reported that the intervention came at the request of Benin’s President Patrice Talon, who sought immediate military backing to stop the forceful takeover of power in his country.

However, the confederation has described the incident as an “unfriendly act” and a “disregard of international law and international rules governing civil and or military aviation.”

“Measures have been taken to ensure the security of the Confederation’s airspace, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its member states, and the safety of the populations of the AES Confederation,” the statement read in part.

The three also officially withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in January 2025, after a year-long attempt by the regional bloc to persuade the countries to reconsider their departure.

The junta in all three nations had accused ECOWAS of failing to support them in their fight against terrorism and of imposing sanctions that they claimed harmed their populations.

ECOWAS had imposed the sanctions following the successful coups in the three countries, but later withdrew them.

Following their official exit, ECOWAS issued guidelines on its relationship with the three countries and transitional measures to minimise disruptions for citizens and businesses.

These guidelines include duty-free trade, visa-free movement, and residence.

However, in April, the AES imposed a 0.5 per cent import duty on goods from member nations of the bloc.