Chinese company, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited, has released one of the three Nigerian aircraft detained in France. The aircraft, an Airbus A330, had been held following a court order obtained by the company from a Paris judiciary.
In a statement released yesterday and quoted on network.ng, Zhongshan’s spokesperson explained that the decision to release the aircraft was a gesture of goodwill, recognizing that President Bola Tinubu would need it for an upcoming meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron.
The statement read, “It has come to our attention that an Airbus A330, currently detained in France due to a court order secured by Zhongshan, is required for the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s scheduled meeting with President Macron of France early next week. As a goodwill gesture, Zhongshan has immediately lifted the seizure of the aircraft to facilitate the president’s trip.”
Zhongshan also emphasized its commitment to ongoing negotiations with the Nigerian government, aiming for a “reasonable compromise” in the near future.
The detention of the three aircraft, which were undergoing routine maintenance, was based on ex parte orders issued by the Judicial Court of Paris on March 7 and August 12, 2024. The orders were sought by Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited to enforce an arbitral award granted in its favor in 2021 against Ogun State, a sub-national entity in Nigeria. The French court had seized the three presidential jets belonging to the Nigerian federal government due to a failed business deal between Ogun State and Zhongshan. Recently, two of the aircraft were listed for sale.
