A French court has authorized the seizure of three jets from Nigeria’s presidential fleet, potentially affecting high-level governmental travel.
The seizure is part of an ongoing legal dispute involving the Nigerian government and Zhongshan, a Chinese company, over a business disagreement with the Ogun State government.
The seized aircraft include a Dassault Falcon 7X at Le Bourget airport in Paris, and a Boeing 737 and Airbus 330 at Basel-Mulhouse airport in Switzerland. These jets, crucial to Nigeria’s presidential travel, were undergoing maintenance at the time of their seizure.
The Airbus 330, newly acquired by the Nigerian government for over $100 million, had not yet been delivered, further complicating the situation.
The French court’s order prohibits any movement, sale, or purchase of these aircraft until the Nigerian government settles a $74.5 million compensation awarded to Zhongshan by an independent arbitral tribunal.
This legal action underscores the potential disruptions to Nigeria’s presidential travel and diplomatic engagements, as the dispute escalates with the seizure of these key assets abroad.
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This incident also follows the seizure of Nigerian-owned properties in Liverpool, England, as part of the same legal battle, raising concerns about the wider implications for Nigeria’s overseas assets.
The Nigerian government has yet to issue a statement regarding the recent developments.
