French court authorizes seizure of Nigerian presidential jets

A French court has granted permission to seize three presidential jets connected to the Federal Government of Nigeria, according to a report by PREMIUM TIMES.

The aircraft include two jets from Nigeria’s presidential fleet recently listed for sale and an Airbus 330 purchased by Nigeria but not yet delivered.

The seizure stems from a legal action initiated by Zhongshan, a Chinese company, following the revocation of its export processing zone management contract by Ogun State in 2016.

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An independent arbitration panel, led by a former UK Supreme Court President, awarded Zhongshan approximately $74.5 million in compensation. However, Ogun State has yet to settle the award.

The seized jets comprise a Dassault Falcon 7X at Paris’s Le Bourget airport, a Boeing 737, and the Airbus 330 at Basel-Mulhouse airport in Switzerland.

The aircraft are undergoing maintenance, with the Nigerian government having reportedly spent over $100 million on the Airbus.

The court order prohibits the movement, sale, or purchase of the jets until the compensation is paid. Bailiffs have served legal papers on each aircraft.

The Nigerian government has not yet responded to the development.

This action follows the recent seizure of Nigerian-owned properties in Liverpool, England, as part of the same dispute with Zhongshan.

These properties, located at 15 Aigburth Hall Road and Beech Lodge, 49 Calderstones Road, are estimated to be worth between £1.3 and £1.7 million.

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The dispute between Ogun State and Zhongshan dates back to a 2010 framework agreement for establishing Fucheng Industrial Park within Ogun’s Guangdong Free Trade Zone, which led to subsequent legal and administrative conflicts.