The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) C-130 aircraft and its 11-member crew, earlier detained in Burkina Faso, have resumed their mission to Portugal for scheduled maintenance, Nigerian authorities have confirmed.
The aircraft, which was on a flight to Portugal, made an emergency landing in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, on December 8, 2025, following a technical issue.
The landing was described by Nigerian officials as a precautionary measure taken in line with international aviation safety protocols.
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Speaking to newsmen, Kimiebi Ebienfa, spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the aircraft and crew were released on Thursday and would continue directly to Portugal, as originally planned.
“They are not coming to Nigeria, but proceeding to Portugal for the servicing of the aircraft. They will leave for Portugal today,” Ebienfa said.
According to him, the release of the aircraft and crew followed diplomatic interventions by the Nigerian government, ordered by President Bola Tinubu.
A high-powered delegation was dispatched to Burkina Faso to engage the country’s authorities and secure the crew’s freedom.
The delegation was led by Yusuf Tuggar, Minister of Foreign Affairs, , and included Mohammed Mohammed, Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, A. Y. Abdullahi; Chief of Policy and Plans of the Nigerian Air Force, Olawale Awe, Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to ECOWAS, and Wahab Akande, Chief of Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Burkina Faso confirmed the release of the Nigerian Air Force aircraft and its 11 personnel on Wednesday, ending weeks of diplomatic tension surrounding the incident.
Earlier, Ehimen Ejodame, Director of Public Relations and Information of the Nigerian Air Force, had explained that the C-130 aircraft landed at the nearest available airfield for safety reasons after experiencing technical issues, stressing that the action was consistent with international aviation standards.
However, the incident attracted sharp reactions within the Sahel region. Mali’s junta leader, Assimi Goïta, speaking on behalf of the Confederation of Sahel States, described the precautionary landing as an “unfriendly act carried out in defiance of international law,” and warned that member states would neutralise any aircraft deemed to have violated their airspace.
Despite the controversy, Nigerian authorities maintained that the mission was routine and non-hostile, and confirmed that diplomatic engagement led to a resolution.
