Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited stated on Friday that it had released one of the three Nigerian presidential airplanes that had been impounded in France. The decision to release the aircraft comes before of President Bola Tinubu’s upcoming meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron.
The aircraft had been detained following a court order issued by a judiciary court in Paris as part of a legal dispute between the Chinese company and the Nigerian government. However, Zhongshan Fucheng, in a statement obtained by Arise News, explained that the release of the aircraft was a gesture of goodwill, recognizing the importance of the upcoming diplomatic engagement between the two nations.
The spokesperson for Zhongshan Fucheng emphasized the company’s intention to act fairly and reasonably throughout the legal proceedings. “Zhongshan has consistently sought to act reasonably and fairly in the course of a legal dispute with Nigeria which was not of its making,” the statement read. The company acknowledged the significance of the aircraft for President Tinubu’s meeting with President Macron and decided to lift the seizure immediately to facilitate the trip.
The statement further clarified, “It 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. 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.”
Despite this gesture, Zhongshan Fucheng remains open to dialogue with the Nigerian government, expressing a desire for a swift and reasonable resolution to the ongoing legal dispute. The company had previously obtained ex parte orders from the Paris Judicial Court on March 7 and August 12, 2024, which led to the temporary seizure of the three presidential aircraft. The aircraft were undergoing routine maintenance in France at the time of the seizure.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, confirmed on Thursday that the Federal Government had initiated legal actions to contest the interim seizure of the aircraft. The Chinese company is seeking to enforce an arbitral award granted to it in 2021 against Ogun State, a sub-national entity in Nigeria. The nature of the dispute and the specifics of the arbitral award have not been fully disclosed, but it is clear that the situation has broader implications for Nigeria’s diplomatic relations and its internal governance.
The release of the aircraft not only allows President Tinubu to proceed with his diplomatic engagement with President Macron but also underscores the complexities and sensitivities involved in international legal disputes. As the Nigerian government continues its legal efforts to resolve the matter, the spotlight remains on how this case will influence Nigeria’s foreign relations and its approach to international arbitration.
With the aircraft now available for President Tinubu’s use, the focus shifts to the outcomes of his meeting with President Macron and the broader implications for Nigeria’s standing on the global stage.
