West Africa is dealing with a fresh diplomatic headache after authorities in Burkina Faso confirmed they are holding 11 Nigerian military personnel following the forced landing of a Nigerian Air Force C-130 aircraft inside the country.
The aircraft, which was headed to Tamale in Ghana, reportedly experienced some kind of mid-air emergency. During that period, the plane’s transponder went off, either because of the emergency or for reasons that are still unclear, making the aircraft disappear from radar.
With the transponder shut down, the C-130 drifted off its route and flew into Burkinabé airspace. Security in that zone has been extremely tight, especially after Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) and adopted strict military rules about airspace violations.
Burkinabé forces immediately reacted, forcing the aircraft to land in Bobo-Dioulasso. The 11 Nigerian personnel on board were detained, while the aircraft was secured by the military.
Authorities linked to the AES accused Nigeria of violating controlled airspace without proper clearance, insisting that any unauthorised aircraft would be “neutralised.”
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