Daily Digest Online

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-D...

NIGER STATE, Nigeria — A Nigerian Air Force fighter jet crashed on Saturday afternoon near a community in Niger State, with early reports indicating both pilots survived by safely ejecting before the aircraft went down. The incident occurred around 4:10 p.m. local time near Karabonde, in the Borgu Local Government Area. According to eyewitness accounts and local media, the aircraft involved was an Alpha Jet, a light attack and training plane commonly used by the Nigerian Air Force. It is believed to have taken off from the Kainji Air Force Base, a major operational hub located in the same state. Local resident Lukman Sulaiman confirmed the details to reporters. "The incident happened around 4.10pm. It landed very close to town but, by God's grace, the pilots ejected safely," he said. Initial reports from the scene, including videos shared by local media outlet Lapai TV and obtained by Punch Newspapers, show the wreckage of the jet engu...