Nigeria Sahel allies clash over detained military plane and soldiers
Nigeria and the Alliance of Sahel States are giving sharply different accounts of how a Nigerian Air Force C 130 transport plane and 11 soldiers ended up detained in Burkina Faso. The aircraft made an emergency landing in Bobo Dioulasso on Monday, but the incident has now triggered a wider diplomatic dispute over alleged airspace violations. The Alliance of Sahel States which includes Burkina Faso Mali and Niger insists the Nigerian plane entered its airspace without permission and was forced to land. In a joint statement the bloc called the episode a serious breach of sovereignty and said its air and anti aircraft defences have been placed on high alert with orders to neutralise any further unauthorised flights. Nigerian authorities reject the accusation and say the C 130 crew diverted to Bobo Dioulasso only after detecting a technical fault while […]
