The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) C‑130 crew that was earlier detained in Burkina Faso has resumed its mission to Portugal with the same aircraft, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed.
The crew, made up of 11 Nigerian personnel, was on a scheduled flight to Portugal for routine aircraft maintenance when it made an emergency landing in Bobo‑Dioulasso on December 8, 2025.
The emergency landing, officials said, was a precautionary measure following a technical issue with the aircraft, not an operational tasking.
The Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Kimiebi Ebienfa, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the crew continued its journey to Portugal after engaging authorities in Burkina Faso.
Ebienfa said the release of the NAF personnel followed sustained diplomatic interventions by a high‑powered Nigerian delegation dispatched to Burkina Faso by President Bola Tinubu.
The delegation was led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, and included:
Amb. Mohammed Mohammed, Director‑General of the National Intelligence Agency
Air Vice Marshal A. Y. Abdullahi, Chief of Policy and Plans, Nigerian Air Force
Amb. Olawale Awe, Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to ECOWAS
Amb. Wahab Akande, Chief of Protocol, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Following the successful engagement with Burkina Faso authorities, the crew and aircraft have resumed the mission to Portugal for scheduled depot maintenance.