Nigerian Air Force C-130 Crew Continues Mission After Burkina Faso Release

The Nigerian Air Force C-130 crew, which was earlier detained in Burkina Faso and released on yesterday, has continued its mission from the country to Portugal using the same aircraft.

The crew, comprising 11 Nigerian personnel, was on a mission to Portugal for scheduled aircraft maintenance when it made an emergency landing in Burkina Faso.

The emergency landing, which occurred in Bobo-Dioulasso on December 8, 2025, was described as a precautionary measure following a technical issue with the aircraft.

The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Kimiebi Ebienfa, confirmed to the press that the crew resumed its journey to Portugal after engagements between Nigerian and Burkinabe authorities.

Ebienfa said the release of the crew followed diplomatic interventions by a Nigerian delegation dispatched to Burkina Faso by President Bola Tinubu.

The delegation, led by the minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, included the director-general of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed; the chief of Policy and Plans, Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Air Vice Marshal A. Y. Abdullahi; Nigeria’s permanent representative to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Ambassador Olawale Awe and the chief of protocol in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Wahab Akande.