The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, has said the seizure of a Nigerian Air Force jet by the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), comprising Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, is a silly propaganda by the juntas running the countries.

MyNigeria reported that the AES confirmed that a Nigerian Air Force C-130 Hercules transport aircraft was forced to land in Burkina Faso after entering the country’s airspace without authorisation.

In a joint statement issued on Monday, the three military-led nations said the aircraft, carrying 11 Nigerian military personnel, was intercepted and diverted to Bobo-Dioulasso airport following what was described as an “in-flight emergency” while operating in Burkinabe airspace without prior clearance.

The AES emphasised that the Nigerian aircraft had not obtained the required overflight permission, constituting a violation of Burkina Faso’s sovereignty.

The statement did not disclose the current status or location of the 11 crew members and passengers on board.

As of the time of filing this report, neither the Nigerian Air Force nor the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued an official response to the incident.

Reacting, Tinubu's aide said on X, "The Burkina Faso military junta just acted out their typical and silly propaganda playbook. Nigerian Air Force military transport plane only made an emergency landing due to technical concern. It is a standard military and civil aviation practice."

ASA