France Impounds Three Nigerian Presidential Jets Over Dispute with Chinese Firm
Three Nigerian presidential jets were seized in France while they were undergoing routine maintenance. This action is part of a long-standing legal dispute between Nigeria and Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment, a Chinese company.
The disagreement began with a 2007 contract where Zhongshan was to help develop a free-trade zone in Nigeria’s Ogun State. When the agreement was terminated around 2015-2016, Zhongshan claimed it was forced out through illegal means. In response, the Nigerian government has condemned the seizure, accusing Zhongshan of trying to exploit and scam Nigeria.
The French court’s seizure followed an arbitration tribunal’s 2021 decision, which awarded Zhongshan $74.5 million in compensation. Ogun State reportedly did not pay this amount. Recently, the U.S. Court of Appeals also ruled in favor of Zhongshan’s attempts to confiscate Nigerian assets abroad, rejecting Nigeria’s claim of “sovereign immunity.”
Nigeria’s government argues that Zhongshan’s actions are part of a broader scheme to target Nigerian assets internationally. They insist that the company only did minimal work on the project, like building a perimeter fence, and accuse Zhongshan of misleading various courts.
This situation has sparked criticism and debate within Nigeria. Some are using this news to highlight the perceived extravagance of President Bola Tinubu’s use of multiple taxpayer-funded jets amid a severe economic crisis. Opposition politician Peter Obi has called the seizure “embarrassing” and criticized it as a sign of insensitivity towards Nigeria’s economic struggles, according to BBC.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdjwlrx8n8xo