The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) crew earlier held in Burkina Faso has been cleared to proceed to Portugal, continuing their journey aboard the same C-130 aircraft.

The 11-member crew was en route to Portugal for routine maintenance of the military aircraft when it was forced to make an unscheduled stop in Bobo-Dioulasso on December 8, 2025. Officials explained that the diversion was prompted by a technical concern and was purely a safety precaution, not linked to any military or operational mission.

According to the Ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, the matter was resolved after Nigerian authorities engaged their Burkinabè counterparts through diplomatic channels. Following these engagements, the aircraft and its crew were cleared to resume their journey.

Ebienfa disclosed that the release of the personnel was achieved through sustained diplomatic efforts initiated by President Bola Tinubu, who authorised the deployment of a high-level delegation to Burkina Faso to address the situation.

The delegation was led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, and comprised senior officials, including the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed; the Nigerian Air Force’s Chief of Policy and Plans, Air Vice Marshal A. Y. Abdullahi; Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to ECOWAS, Ambassador Olawale Awe; and the Chief of Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Wahab Akande.

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After the successful resolution of the issue, the NAF crew departed Burkina Faso and continued on course to Portugal, where the aircraft is scheduled to undergo depot-level maintenance.

The Ministry reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to diplomatic engagement in resolving international matters involving its personnel and assets.