The Federal Government of Nigeria has cast doubt on reports that 11 detained Nigerian soldiers and their aircraft have departed Burkina Faso for Portugal, citing a new technical fault with the aircraft.
The soldiers and their C-130 transport plane had been detained for over ten days following an emergency landing in Bobo-Dioulasso, reportedly due to an initial technical failure while on a ferry mission to Portugal.
Their release was secured on Wednesday following a high-level diplomatic intervention. A Nigerian delegation, led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, met with Burkina Faso’s military leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, in Ouagadougou. The meeting, aimed at resolving the impasse, concluded with an agreement to strengthen bilateral cooperation and regional integration.
The delegation included the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), 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.
However, confusion arose shortly after the release was confirmed. A senior Nigerian official, who confirmed the soldiers were en route to Portugal, disclosed that a further technical problem had arisen.
“They were taxing to take off, then they discovered something. They had another technical problem, so they had to stop to fix it,” the official stated.
When pressed on the current status at press time, the official expressed uncertainty, saying, “I do not know if they have left… I am waiting for an update from them.”
The official clarified that Portugal remains the intended destination, not Nigeria. “They are going to Portugal, not Nigeria, that was their original destination,” the source added.
This latest development introduces a new layer of uncertainty to the situation, prolonging the ordeal for the soldiers and raising further questions about the operational status of the aircraft. Authorities are awaiting confirmation of a successful departure from Burkina Faso.