Nigeria and the Sahel security divide deepens after Burkina Faso detains air force crew

A diplomatic dispute between Nigeria and the Sahelian states of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger has added pressure to efforts to address shared cross-border security threats. The latest flashpoint came in December 2025, when Burkina Faso detained 11 Nigerian Air Force personnel after their C-130 transport aircraft made an emergency landing in Bobo-Dioulasso. The aircraft was travelling to Portugal for scheduled maintenance when the incident occurred.

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Burkina Faso said the plane had entered its airspace without the required authorisation. Nigerian officials said the landing was caused by a technical problem, and the Nigerian Air Force said the crew had followed safety procedures. The aircraft and its 11-member crew were released after diplomatic talks on 17 December, and they left Burkina Faso two days later, continuing to Portugal via Ghana.

The episode highlighted the widening political divide between Abuja and the three Sahelian governments, which formed the Alliance of Sahel States in September 2023 through the Liptako-Gourma Charter. The alliance was created as a framework for collective defence and mutual assistance. Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger later withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States, with that withdrawal taking effect on 29 January 2025.

The dispute matters because the countries involved face overlapping security threats, even as their political relations have deteriorated. Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa Province remain active in Nigeria, while ISWAP also operates in southeastern Niger, particularly in the Diffa region. That overlap means diplomatic tensions can complicate coordination on border security, intelligence sharing and military cooperation.

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The broader security picture in the region has been shaped by the aftermath of the 2011 overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in Libya. A former Nigerian external affairs minister and director-general of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs said the collapse of the Libyan state helped drive armed groups southward. He said the movement of bandits from the Sahel into Nigeria had been ongoing since Gaddafi was overthrown, and that the country became a target as fighters could not move across the Mediterranean.

The same analyst said he hoped the dispute would not escalate further and that diplomacy would prevail. His comments reflected concern that a political rift could deepen at a time when armed groups continue to operate across borders. The incident also shows how routine military movements can become sensitive in a region where airspace, sovereignty and security cooperation are closely linked.

What remains unclear is whether the December detention will have any lasting effect on military coordination between Nigeria and the AES states. It is also not clear whether the emergency landing will lead to any further diplomatic or operational measures. The key issue to watch is whether the countries can separate security cooperation from their political disagreements as cross-border threats continue.

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