The House of Representatives has resolved to interface with the Ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs over Nigeria’s detained aircraft and personnel in Burkina Faso.
The House also urged the federal government to leverage existing bilateral, ECOWAS, and African Union frameworks to facilitate cooperation, mutual understanding, and the expeditious clearance of the aircraft and its crew.
The lawmakers encouraged the Office of the National Security Adviser to coordinate interagency communication and ensure that national security considerations are addressed without escalation.
Additionally, the House called on the federal government to provide factual public briefings where appropriate to counter misinformation while safeguarding sensitive diplomatic and security processes.
The resolutions followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by Mr Rufus Ojuawo.
Leading the debate on the motion, Mr Ojuawo said the Nigerian Air Force C-130 aircraft, involved in a duly authorised ferry flight to Portugal for scheduled, periodic depot maintenance, a routine and mandatory life-cycle requirement for a military transport aircraft, made a precautionary landing in Burkina Faso on 8 December 2025.
He stated that the flight was properly documented and conducted in compliance with international standards, including provisions for diversions on safety grounds.
“The precautionary landing was made purely on safety considerations and in line with established aviation protocols. Contrary to misinformation circulating in the public domain, the aircraft was neither on an operational mission nor involved in intelligence gathering or surveillance activities. One of the concerns is the continued detention of Nigeria’s aircraft and the security personnel on board,” he said.
The House mandated the committees on Foreign Affairs, Defence, Nigerian Air Force, and National Security to intervene and interface with the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of External Affairs, and other relevant intelligence agencies to resolve all issues related to the aircraft and its crew and to report back to the House within two weeks.
PIAK