"Neutralize on Sight": Sahel Alliance Forces Nigerian Air Force Plane to Land in Tense Escalation

BOBO DIOULASSO, Burkina Faso — In a dramatic military standoff that has sent shockwaves across West Africa, the Confederation of the Sahel States (AES) forced a Nigerian Air Force aircraft carrying 11 soldiers to land in Burkina Faso on Monday, condemning the flight as an "unfriendly act" and a violation of its airspace.

The incident, which saw the powerful Alliance of Sahel States—comprising the military juntas of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—place its air defenses on "maximum alert" with orders to "neutralize any aircraft" violating its airspace, marks a dangerous new low in regional relations. It comes against a backdrop of deep political fractures and a shared, spiraling security crisis that neither side has been able to contain.

The Incident and Its Aftermath

According to an official communique from the AES, a Nigerian Air Force C-130 transport plane was "forced to land" on December 8, 2025, at the airport in Bobo-Dioulasso, a city in southwestern Burkina Faso. The statement cited an "in-flight emergency situation" but crucially emphasized that an immediate investigation "highlighted the absence of authorisation to fly over the territory of Burkina Faso".

On board were two crew members and nine passengers, all identified as Nigerian military personnel. Reports indicate that the 11 soldiers have been detained by Burkinabe authorities. As of late Monday, there was no official public comment from the Nigerian government or its air force.

A Geopolitical Flashpoint in a Tinderbox Region

The forced landing is far more than a simple aviation dispute. It is a direct confrontation between two opposing blocs in a region riven by instability.

*   ECOWAS vs. AES: The incident pits Nigeria, the traditional heavyweight and a leading member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), against the breakaway AES alliance. The three AES nations—Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—formally withdrew from ECOWAS in January 2025, accusing the bloc of failing to support their fight against terrorism and imposing harmful sanctions.

*   A Test of Sovereignty and Strength: For the AES juntas, who seized power promising to restore security, the incident is a potent opportunity to assert their sovereignty and military resolve. Their stern warning to "neutralize" future violators is a clear message to Nigeria and the international community.

*   Nigeria's Complicated Position: The event is deeply embarrassing for Nigeria, which has positioned itself as a regional security leader. It follows Nigeria's recent military intervention to help thwart a coup in Benin Republic, another action viewed with deep suspicion by the AES juntas.

The Shared, and Growing, Enemy Within

The bitter irony of this military standoff is that it unfolds as both Nigeria and the AES states are losing ground to a common enemy: violent jihadist insurgencies.

*   Escalating Carnage in the Sahel: Burkina Faso is now the epicenter of jihadist violence in Africa. Groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State have launched relentless, high-casualty attacks. A report notes that in 2024, Burkina Faso alone accounted for 48% of militant Islamist group violence in the Sahel and 62% of the resulting fatalities.

*   The Threat Spreads: The instability is no longer contained. These jihadist groups are deliberately expanding their operations into the coastal nations of Benin and Togo and are increasingly active in the border regions between Niger and northwestern Nigeria.

*   A Cycle of Violence and Grievance: Experts warn that corruption and poor governance in the defense sectors of these nations—with Burkina Faso rated at a "critical" risk—have crippled their militaries, fueled public grievance, and created the conditions for both coups and insurgent recruitment.

What Happens Next?

The path forward is fraught with risk. The AES's shoot-down order creates a tangible danger of accidental or deliberate escalation. Diplomatic channels are strained, and the underlying grievances—sovereignty, security failure, and regional leadership—remain unaddressed.

The international community watches nervously. As one analysis framed it, this is a moment where "African nations are facing off over airspace, not external enemies," a luxury the region's besieged populations can ill afford. The urgent question is whether this incident will lead to a dangerous new phase of regional confrontation or become a catalyst for the difficult dialogue needed to confront a shared existential threat.