Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited, the Chinese company involved in a legal dispute with Ogun State government, has released one of the three jets from the Nigerian Air Force fleet initially seized in France.
The aircraft, an Airbus A330, was detained following a French court order obtained by Zhongshan to attach the Nigerian government to its legal battle with the state government.
Nigerian government on Thursday disclosed that it had commenced move to recover the three aircraft over the alleged judgement debt.
Kamarudeen Ogundele, SA to the President on Communication and Publicity, Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, said the move is being spearheaded by the AGF and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
Zhongshan cited the necessity for the Nigerian President to use the jet for an upcoming meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron as the reason for the release.
“Zhongshan has consistently sought to act reasonably and fairly in the course of a legal dispute with Nigeria which was not of its making,” a spokesperson for the company stated on Friday.
The spokesperson emphasised that the decision to release the jet was a gesture of goodwill to facilitate the President’s travel plans.
The release of the aircraft came amid ongoing negotiations between Zhongshan and the Federal Government to resolve the broader dispute.
The legal tussle between Zhongshan and the Federal Government stem from a protracted disagreement over the management of the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone (OGFTZ) in Ogun State.
The dispute escalated in March 2021 when an arbitral tribunal awarded Zhongshan $55.7 million, along with an interest of $9.4 million and costs amounting to £2.86 million, following an investment treaty arbitration.
