ABUJA — A fresh technical fault has delayed the departure of the Nigerian Air Force C-130 aircraft and 11 soldiers released by Burkina Faso, creating uncertainty over their planned flight to Portugal.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Kimiebi Ebienfa confirmed on Thursday that the aircraft developed a problem while taxiing for takeoff, forcing a halt for repairs.
“They were taxiing to take off, then they discovered something. They had another technical problem, so they had to stop to fix it,” Ebienfa said. “I do not know if they have left.”
The soldiers and aircraft were detained for over 10 days after an emergency landing in Burkina Faso, which authorities there initially called an unauthorized airspace violation, sparking a diplomatic dispute with the Alliance of Sahel States.
Their release followed a high-level diplomatic mission led by Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar.
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Disclaimer: This report is based on an official statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The situation may change pending further updates.
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