The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) confirmed on Friday that its C-130 transport aircraft, which had previously made a precautionary landing in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, has resumed its flight following safety inspections.
According to NAF spokesperson Ehimen Ejodame, the plane departed Friday evening and reached Accra, Ghana, safely.
“The Nigerian Air Force is pleased to confirm that its C-130 aircraft, which made a precautionary landing in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, departed this evening and arrived safely in Accra in line with the updated flight plan,” the statement confirmed.
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The aircraft is currently preparing to travel to Portugal by way of Banjul and Casablanca for scheduled maintenance.
This update follows significant diplomatic tension after the aircraft’s unscheduled landing led to a high-level mission to Ouagadougou by Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar, acting on the orders of President Bola Tinubu.
The NAF maintained that the landing was a standard safety measure and that the plane remained functional.
Addressing the public, the Air Force stated: “The Nigerian Air Force appreciates the concern and support expressed by members of the public and assures Nigerians that all personnel remain safe, the aircraft is serviceable, and the Service continues to operate to the highest standards of safety and professionalism.”
The situation was complicated by the Alliance of Sahel States (Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso), which initially viewed the landing with suspicion.
The alliance claimed the aircraft lacked overflight permission, stating: “An aircraft belonging to the Air Force of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, type C-130, was forced to land today in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, following an in-flight emergency situation while it was operating in Burkinabe airspace.”
The alliance further characterized the event as an “unfriendly act” and noted that their air forces were authorized to “neutralise any aircraft” violating their airspace.
However, the NAF stood by its technical explanation.
Ejodame clarified that after departing Lagos, “the crew observed a technical concern which necessitated a precautionary landing in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, the nearest airfield, in accordance with standard safety procedures and international aviation protocols.”
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