By Charles Pemu 
Burkina Faso confirmed the release of 11 Nigerian military officers and their C-130 aircraft late last night, immediately de-escalating a diplomatic incident that saw the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) threaten to neutralize any aircraft violating its airspace.
The incident, which involved a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft making an unauthorized landing in Bobo Dioulasso, had led to conflicting reports and severe condemnation from the AES, a confederation comprising the military-led governments of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.
Burkinabè security officials and the country’s territorial administration Minister, Emile Zerbo, confirmed that the 11 officers were permitted to depart after initial questioning. The immediate release signals a swift move to contain the tension, which had flared following the aircraft’s entry into Burkinabe territory “without authorization.”
The NAF, through its Director of Public Relations, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, explained that the C-130 turboprop was on a ferry mission to Portugal but was forced to make a “safety precautionary landing” in Bobo-Dioulasso due to technical concerns, in line with international aviation protocols. The NAF assured the public that the crew was safe and received cordial treatment.
The detention of the aircraft and its crew on Monday had provoked a powerful joint statement from the AES, which is currently estranged from Nigeria and the regional bloc ECOWAS.
The AES, in a statement signed by Mali junta leader Assimi Goita, confirmed their investigation highlighted a “violation of its airspace and the sovereignty of its member states,” labeling the episode an “unfriendly act.” Facing what it considered a breach of international rules, the Alliance announced that its air forces had been placed on maximum alert and explicitly authorized to “neutralize any aircraft” found to violate the confederal space.
However, the subsequent release of the personnel indicates that the diplomatic channels were quickly activated, preventing the incident from escalating further, especially considering its proximity to NAF air strikes carried out in neighboring Benin Republic following a foiled coup attempt. The NAF is now making plans to resume the C-130’s original ferry flight to Portugal.