Chinese firm releases one of seized presidential jets for Tinubu’s trip to France
President Bola Tinubu will embark on a trip to France on Monday, but it has now been revealed that Chinese company, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Ltd, had to release one of the presidential jets seized in its custody for him to make the trip.
Presidential spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, in a statement on Sunday, confirmed the trip and added that the president will return to the country after his “brief work stay in France”.
However, Ngelale did not state the exact day the president would return to the country.
Tinubu’s visit is coming days after a Paris court in France ordered the seizure of three jets belonging to the Nigerian government over the dispute involving an arbitration award in favour of Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Ltd.
The court ruled that the Chinese firm should use the three jets at the Paris-Le Bourget and Basel-Mulhouse international airports “as security for its claim of EUR 74,459,221”.
The seized jets are Dassault Falcon 7X, with registration number 5N-FGU, Boeing 737-7N6/BBJ, with registration number 5N-FGT, and Airbus A330-243, with registration number 5N-FGA.
The legal dispute that led to the $70 million arbitration award against Nigeria started when the Ogun state government terminated the contract of Zhongshan as the manager of the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone (OGFTZ).
The contract termination has made Nigeria face a series of legal battles, including a $70 million arbitration award, the seizure of the presidential jets in France, and two residential properties in the United Kingdom (UK).
On Friday, the Chinese firm agreed to release one of Nigeria’s seized presidential jets for Tinubu’s trip to France.
A spokesperson of the Chinese firm said the firm was informed Tinubu needs one of the seized jets — Airbus A330 — to travel for a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron.
“It (Zhongshan) has now been made aware that an Airbus A330, currently detained in France as a result of a French court order obtained by Zhongshan, is needed for the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to travel to a scheduled meeting with President Macron of France early next week,” the spokesperson said.
“As a gesture of goodwill, Zhongshan has lifted the seizure of that aircraft immediately. This will allow it to be used for the President’s trip.
“Zhongshan remains committed to talks with representatives of the Federal Government of Nigeria, this time serious and substantive on both sides, with a view to reaching a reasonable compromise settlement rapidly.”
