The reason behind the Nigerian Air Force C-130’s flight over South West Burkina Faso has been clarified.
Brant Philip, a security analyst specialising in the Sahel region and known for monitoring military movements in West Africa, stated the aircraft was en route to Senegal and described the flight as “nothing too suspicious.”
Reports revealed that at least 11 Nigerian soldiers are currently detained by the military regime in Bobo-Dioulasso, South West Burkina Faso, after their aircraft made an emergency landing while “violating AES airspace.”
This was confirmed by the AES in a statement shared on X by security analyst Brant Grant.
“The only plausible reason why the Nigerian Air Force C-130 was flying over southwest Burkina Faso is that it was headed towards Senegal, nothing too suspicious,” Brant wrote on X.
Attempting to explain the emergency landing, he said, “I initially guessed the NAF C-130 cargo plane was heading towards Tamale, Ghana, but it turned off its transponder, either intentionally or due to the emergency, then went ‘ghost’ and continued northwest towards Burkina Faso, where it was forced to land.”
Reports also indicate that AES keeps its air and anti-air defences on “maximum alert” and authorises neutralisation of any aircraft violating the confederation’s airspace, which includes Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali.
