Sahel States Warn Nigeria Over Unauthorized Airspace Entry. Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso — 2025-12-09 Lead Paragraph The Alliance of Sahel States (AES), comprising Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, has warned Nigeria that it will “neutralise “any unauthorised aircraft entering its airspace following the emergency landing of a Nigerian military plane in Burkina Faso.
The incident, which involved nine military personnel, has heightened tensions between Abuja and the AES.
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The AES, in a statement broadcast on public television in Burkina Faso, condemned the action as an “unfriendly “act that violated international law and civil and military aviation regulations.
The alliance has bolstered the security of its airspace in response.
The Nigerian military plane landed in western Burkina Faso without prior authorisation, according to the AES. This follows a weekend where Nigerian military aircraft were sent to Benin to defend the government against an attempted coup. Nigeria asserts that it was acting at the request of Benin’s government and within the framework of ECOWAS mechanisms.
The AES left ECOWAS in January, citing the regional bloc’s threat to intervene in Niger following the 2023 military coup. Since then, trade between the two regional blocs has been suspended.
The region has experienced a series of military coups, most recently in Guinea — Bissau.
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The situation between Nigeria and the AES remains tense. Further details regarding the incident and the response from Nigerian authorities are expected to emerge.
The incident underscores the growing political divide between West African nations and the complexities of military cooperation in the region. Source Burkina Faso Detains 11 Nigerian Military Officers, Seizes. — [Saharareporters.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 5*
