French court seizes three Nigerian presidential jets over Ogun debt

A French court has authorized the seizure of three Nigerian presidential jets in response to a contractual dispute between the Chinese company Zhongshan and the Ogun State government.

The dispute stems from the 2016 termination of Zhongshan’s export processing zone management contract by the Ogun State government.

The seized jets include a Dassault Falcon 7X in Paris, a Boeing 737, and an undelivered Airbus 330 in Switzerland, all part of Nigeria’s presidential air fleet.

Read Also:

Critical corruption case files stolen in Kano court vandalism

Why Tinubu wants to sell Nigeria’s Presidential Jets

The court’s decision follows the Ogun State government’s failure to honour a $74.5 million award granted to Zhongshan by an independent arbitral tribunal, chaired by a former UK Supreme Court president. The order restricts the movement and sale of the jets until the awarded amount is paid to Zhongshan.

This incident is part of a broader conflict that began in 2010 when Zhongshan’s parent company, Zhuhai Zhongfu Industrial Group Co Ltd, agreed with the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone to establish Fucheng Industrial Park.

The legal battle intensified after the Ogun State government terminated Zhongfu’s management role in 2016, leading to the ongoing international dispute.

Recently, the UK court also seized Nigerian-owned properties in Liverpool linked to the same dispute.

The Nigerian government has yet to comment on the seizures.