The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has confirmed that its C-130 aircraft, with registration number NAF 913, has arrived safely at a maintenance facility in Lisbon, Portugal, following its earlier detention in Burkina Faso.
The aircraft and its crew had been held by Burkinabe authorities on December 8 over alleged airspace violations, which were described as a breach of the country’s sovereignty.
The situation was resolved about 10 days later after a high-level Nigerian delegation, led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, engaged President Ibrahim Traoré and senior officials of the Burkinabe government.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Nigerian Air Force spokesperson, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said the aircraft completed its ferry flight to Portugal in accordance with an updated flight plan and standard aviation safety procedures.
According to the statement, the aircraft transited through Banjul, The Gambia, and Casablanca, Morocco, before arriving at OGMA, a maintenance facility in Lisbon, on December 26, 2025.
“The Nigerian Air Force confirms that its C-130 aircraft (NAF 913) arrived safely at the maintenance facility, OGMA, in Lisbon, Portugal today, 26 December 2025,” Ejodame said.
“The ferry flight was successfully completed, transiting Banjul and Casablanca in line with an updated flight plan and established aviation safety procedures. The aircraft and crew arrived without incident, marking the final phase of the movement for the scheduled depot maintenance.”
He added that all personnel were safe and in high spirits, while the Air Force expressed appreciation to host authorities for their cooperation during the transit.
The NAF reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining the highest standards of safety, professionalism, and operational accountability in all its activities.
