Three Nigerian Presidential Jets Seized Abroad Amid Ogun State, Chinese Firm Legal Dispute.
A French court has authorized the seizure of three presidential jets linked to the Federal Government of Nigeria, following a legal dispute involving Ogun State and Chinese firm Zhongshan.
Sources familiar with the matter revealed that the jets, part of the Nigerian presidential air fleet, were targeted due to a long-standing battle over a $74.5 million arbitration award in favor of Zhongshan.
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The seized aircraft include a Dassault Falcon 7X stationed at Le Bourget airport in Paris, a Boeing 737 at Basel-Mulhouse airport in Switzerland, and an Airbus 330, which Nigeria had purchased but not yet received.
The court’s order prohibits the movement, sale, or purchase of these jets until the awarded amount is paid to Zhongshan.
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This legal action stems from a 2016 dispute when Ogun State revoked Zhongshan’s contract to manage an export processing zone. The case was brought before an independent arbitral tribunal, chaired by the former President of the UK Supreme Court, which ruled in favor of Zhongshan.
Despite this ruling, the Ogun State government has not honored the award, prompting Zhongshan to seek enforcement through the seizure of Nigerian assets abroad.
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The Nigerian government has not yet commented on the situation, which has escalated to include the recent confiscation of Nigerian-owned buildings in Liverpool, England, by a UK court related to the same dispute. These properties, located at 15 Aigburth Hall Road and Beech Lodge, are estimated to be worth between £1.3 and £1.7 million.
The Ogun State government and Zhongshan have been embroiled in this legal battle since 2016, following the termination of Zhongshan’s management of the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone. Zhongshan initiated an investment treaty arbitration against Nigeria under the bilateral investment treaty between China and Nigeria. In March 2021, the arbitral tribunal awarded Zhongshan $55.7 million, plus $9.4 million in interest and additional costs.
The court order from the Enforcement Judge at the Paris Judicial Court specifically empowers Zhongshan to seize the three Nigerian presidential jets. The order details the procedures for securing the aircraft, including positioning them to prevent takeoff and appointing a custodian for their safekeeping.
This development adds to the growing list of legal challenges faced by the Nigerian government on the international stage, with significant implications for its diplomatic and economic relations.
As the Ogun State government continues to resist the arbitration award, the pressure on the Nigerian federal government to resolve the dispute amicably and prevent further seizures of its assets abroad is mounting.
