The Association of Sahel States (AES), a regional alliance formed by Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, had on Monday described the aircraft’s entry into Burkina Faso’s airspace as an “unfriendly act,” insisting the plane had received no prior clearance.
Burkina Faso officials confirmed that the two crew members and nine passengers were allowed to return to Nigeria. However, the status of the seized aircraft remains unresolved.
Nigeria, in a statement on Tuesday, explained that the C-130 had made an unplanned stop due to a technical concernwhile en route to Portugal for a ferry mission. The Nigerian Air Force spokesperson, Ehimen Ejodame, said investigations were ongoing but noted that the personnel “were treated well” and that arrangements were under way to continue with the mission.
The incident occurred amid renewed tensions in the sub-region following an attempted coup in Benin Republic on December 7. The Nigerian government said it acted within ECOWAS security protocols, especially after soldiers in Benin briefly took over the national broadcaster and announced the removal of President Patrice Talon.
President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray, warned that West Africa is facing a “state of emergency,” citing weakening democratic institutions and rising security threats.
“Events of recent weeks have shown the need for serious introspection on the future of our democracy and urgent investment in the security of our community,” Touray said at a mediation and security council meeting in Abuja on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the ECOWAS Council of Ministers has reaffirmed the bloc’s zero-tolerance for military coups, following the latest attempted takeover in Benin.
Chairman of the Council and Sierra Leone’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Timothy Kabba, said the development underscored the need for the region to protect its democratic values.
“The attempted coup in Benin has renewed ECOWAS’s commitment to zero-tolerance for unconstitutional takeover of our territory,” Kabba said at the close of the 55th Ordinary Session of the Mediation and Security Council in Abuja.
He stressed the need for member states to preserve the region’s shared identity and collective history.
