By Reportcircle Abuja
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) moved swiftly on Tuesday to douse public anxiety after a routine ferry mission involving one of its C-130 transport aircraft made what officials described as a standard, safety-driven precautionary landing in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, following a minor technical alert mid-flight.
The aircraft, which departed Lagos on 8 December 2025 en route to Portugal for scheduled maintenance, had barely settled into its cruise altitude when the crew detected a technical concern.
Rather than take chances, they executed what aviation experts regard as the gold-standard response: diverting immediately to the nearest safe airfield in line with global aviation protocol.
Touchdown in Bobo-Dioulasso was smooth, controlled, and fully compliant with safety manuals, an outcome senior officers say underscores the professionalism of NAF’s flight crew. Upon landing, the team was warmly received by host authorities who, according to official briefings, extended “cordial treatment” and provided all necessary support.
NAF officials emphasised that at no point was the crew in danger and that the diversion was strictly precautionary, not emergent.
Plans are already in motion to resume the aircraft’s original journey to Portugal once standard assessments are concluded.
In a statement designed to reassure both the public and Nigeria’s partners, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, Director of Public Relations and Information, reaffirmed the service’s unwavering commitment to operational discipline.
He stressed that NAF remains firmly aligned with international safety benchmarks, adding that the wellbeing of personnel and the reliability of its fleet remain non-negotiable priorities.
As the assessment wraps up and the mission prepares to restart, NAF insists it will continue to uphold the high-alert culture that has become the backbone of its operations, forestalling risk, protecting its personnel, and maintaining its constitutional mandate with precision.
