FG Says Detained NAF C 130 Plane 11 Soldiers Still Not Released
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that a Nigerian Air Force C 130 aircraft and 11 military personnel being held in Burkina Faso remain in detention, days after the incident that led to their stoppage. The clarification follows conflicting media reports suggesting that the troops had already been freed. The aircraft, on a ferry mission to Portugal, reportedly developed a technical issue shortly after leaving Lagos on 8 December 2025. In line with international aviation procedures, the crew made a precautionary landing at Bobo Dioulasso airfield in Burkina Faso, identified as the nearest suitable airport. However, authorities under the Confederation of Sahel States, which includes Burkina Faso, treated the landing as an unauthorised entry into their airspace. The regional bloc subsequently placed its air and anti aircraft systems on high alert and ordered an investigation into the circumstances of […]