By Camillus Eboh ABUJA, Dec 9 (Reuters) – States in Africa’s Sahel region have accused Nigeria of violating their airspace, saying one of its military transport planes landed in Burkina Faso on Monday without clearance. There was no immediate comment from Nigeria, which has sent planes and troops to help quell a coup in neighbouring […]
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Sahel bloc says Nigerian plane violated airspace over Burkina Faso
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By Camillus Eboh
ABUJA, Dec 9 (Reuters) – States in Africa’s Sahel region have accused Nigeria of violating their airspace, saying one of its military transport planes landed in Burkina Faso on Monday without clearance.
There was no immediate comment from Nigeria, which has sent planes and troops to help quell a coup in neighbouring Benin, a country that also borders Burkina Faso.
The complaint highlighted rising tensions between the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) – a bloc formed by Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger after breaking with regional body ECOWAS – and ECOWAS member Nigeria, West Africa’s largest military power.
AES said late on Monday a Nigerian C-130 transport plane carrying two crew and nine military passengers had flown over Burkina Faso without authorisation and then had to land in the city of Bobo Dioulasso after an in-flight emergency.
AES said its air defences were on maximum alert and authorised to neutralize any aircraft violating its airspace.
The Sahel alliance, created last year in the aftermath of coups in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, said it broke away to push back against foreign influence and ECOWAS sanctions.
(Reporting by Camillus Eboh in Abuja; Writing by Elisha Bala-Gbogbo; Editing by Andrew Heavens)