NAF Dismisses Espionage Claims Over Detained C-130 Aircraft in Burkina Faso

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has rejected as false reports circulating on social media claiming that its C-130 aircraft, currently held in Burkina Faso, was forced to land on suspicion of espionage.

The NAF also denied allegations that the 11 crew members and engineering personnel onboard were intelligence officers trained for espionage, stressing that it never announced their release by Burkinabe authorities.

In a statement issued on Monday, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame described the claims as “entirely false, misleading and unsupported by facts.”

“The claims circulating regarding an alleged clandestine intelligence operation involving a Nigerian military aircraft in Burkina Faso are entirely false, misleading and unsupported by facts,” Ejodame said.

According to him, the aircraft was on a properly authorised ferry flight to Portugal for scheduled periodic depot maintenance, which he described as “a routine and mandatory lifecycle requirement for military transport aircraft.”

“The aircraft therefore had no operational tasking or mission of any kind,” he explained, adding that the flight was backed by all required documentation, including provisions for diversion in line with international aviation procedures.

Ejodame said the landing in Bobo-Dioulasso was a precautionary measure taken strictly on safety grounds and in full compliance with standard aviation protocols.

“At no time was the aircraft intercepted, forced to land, or found operating without authorisation, and claims of airspace violation or hostile intent are fabrications intended to misinform and inflame public sentiment,” he said.

He further dismissed allegations linking the aircraft and crew to espionage, intelligence gathering, or foreign sponsorship.

“Equally baseless are allegations of espionage, SIGINT operations, foreign sponsorship, or the involvement of other external networks. The personnel on board were standard aircrew and mission-support officers conducting a legitimate military air movement, not intelligence operatives,” Ejodame stated.

He added that the aircraft was not fitted with any surveillance or data-collection systems and that interactions between Burkinabe authorities and the NAF crew had remained professional.

“The crew have also made contact with their families,” he noted.

Ejodame clarified that, contrary to online speculation, the NAF never issued any official statement announcing the release of the aircraft or its personnel.

“Matters relating to the aircraft and its personnel are being responsibly managed by the relevant Nigerian government ministries and agencies through established diplomatic channels, in line with international norms and bilateral relations,” he said.

He warned that the spread of false narratives appeared to be a deliberate attempt to discredit Nigeria and strain regional relations.

“The public is therefore urged to rely on verified information and to disregard sensational claims designed to distort facts and threaten regional stability,” he said.

Ejodame called on Nigerians to remain calm, discerning and patriotic, stressing that while constructive scrutiny is healthy in a democracy, spreading falsehoods only undermines national cohesion.

“Patriotism demands responsibility, unity of purpose, and confidence in established institutions working in the best interest of the nation,” he added.

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