Unclear If Released NAF Aircraft, Soldiers Have Departed Burkina Faso for Portugal

The Federal Government has raised uncertainty over whether the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft and 11 soldiers recently released by Burkina Faso have departed for Portugal, despite confirmation of their release.

Speaking on the situation, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said that while Burkinabè authorities had freed both the aircraft and the personnel, it remained unclear if they had taken off at the time of reporting.

Ebienfa explained that although the soldiers were cleared to continue their journey to Portugal, the aircraft developed another technical fault shortly after release, causing further delays.

“I do not know if they have left,” he said. “They were taxiing to take off, then they discovered something. They had another technical problem, so they had to stop to fix it.

“So, I am waiting for an update from them. I will confirm that (if they have departed). But they are going to Portugal, not Nigeria—that was their original destination.”

The release followed a high-level diplomatic intervention led by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, who met Burkina Faso’s military leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, in Ouagadougou. The engagement reportedly eased tensions, with both countries agreeing to strengthen bilateral cooperation and regional integration.

The Nigerian delegation included the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed; the Chief of Policy and Plans of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal A. Abdullahi; Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to ECOWAS, Ambassador Olawale Awe; and the Chief of Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Wahab Akande.

The 11 soldiers had been detained for over 10 days after their NAF C-130 aircraft made an emergency landing in Bobo-Dioulasso due to a reported technical failure while on a ferry mission to Portugal.

Burkinabè authorities, however, alleged that the aircraft entered their airspace without authorisation, triggering a diplomatic dispute with the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), comprising Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.

In a statement at the time, the AES described the incident as an “unfriendly act,” adding that member states had placed their air forces on maximum alert and authorised the neutralisation of any aircraft found to be violating the confederation’s airspace.

Opinion Nigeria News