Nigeria and the Sahel: A growing security divide

A recent incident involving the detention of 11 Nigerian Air Force personnel in Burkina Faso has underscored the widening political and security divide between Nigeria and its Sahelian neighbors. The personnel were detained in December 2025 after their aircraft made an emergency landing in Bobo-Dioulasso due to a technical issue, though Burkina Faso cited a lack of authorization for entering its airspace. Following diplomatic talks, the crew and aircraft were released.

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The influx of bandits from the AES into Nigeria is something that had been ongoing since Gaddafi was overthrown. There was no doubt the suspicion as to where the bandits would go. They couldn’t go across the Mediterranean. They could only come down south. This made Nigeria a target.

This event highlights the growing fragmentation in West Africa, particularly with the formation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) by Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. These nations withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in January 2025, establishing a separate framework for collective defense and mutual assistance. This move signals a significant shift away from regional integration efforts previously championed by ECOWAS.

Security challenges continue to plague the region, with groups like Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) remaining active. ISWAP's presence in southeastern Niger, particularly the Diffa region, is a persistent concern. Niger's withdrawal from the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) in March 2025 further complicates regional counterterrorism efforts, creating a "significant gap" in cooperation and cross-border coordination, according to Nigerian resilience adviser Abiola Sadiq.

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I hope that it will not go beyond where it has gone so far. I hope that good sense and diplomacy will allow these four countries to show maturity.

Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, a former Nigerian external affairs minister, traced some of the region's current security issues to the aftermath of the 2011 overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in Libya. He noted the subsequent influx of bandits into Nigeria from the Sahelian region, suggesting that Nigeria has become a target. Akinyemi expressed hope for a diplomatic resolution, emphasizing the need for maturity among the involved countries.

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With ISWAP remaining active in southeastern Niger, particularly in the Diffa region, Niger’s withdrawal from the Multinational Joint Task Force in 2025 has further created a significant gap in regional counterterrorism cooperation and cross-border coordination.