The Nigerian Air Force stated the aircraft was en route to Portugal when it encountered a technical issue, forcing it to land in Burkina Faso. The unauthorized landing triggered a diplomatic dispute with the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), which includes Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. AES condemned the incident as an "unfriendly act" and placed member states' air forces on high alert, authorizing them to "neutralize any aircraft" violating their airspace.
The three AES nations, all under military rule, have withdrawn from the West African regional bloc ECOWAS and strengthened ties with Russia, while most ECOWAS members maintain alliances with the West. Tuggar visited Ouagadougou to discuss the incident with Burkina Faso's military leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, acknowledging irregularities in flight authorizations and apologizing for the incident.
It remains unclear when the servicemen, described as being in "high spirits," and the aircraft will return to Nigeria. Both sides agreed to maintain regular consultations and strengthen bilateral cooperation and regional integration.
