Nigerian Government Takes Action To Recover Three Presidential Jets Held In France

Nigerian Government Takes Action To Recover Three Presidential Jets Held In France

On Thursday, the Nigerian government announced that it has begun diplomatic and legal efforts to recover three presidential aircraft seized in France due to outstanding debts…… CONTINUE READING 

The Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) are leading these efforts. According to a statement from the AGF in Abuja, the debt that led to the seizure stems from a contractual agreement between the Ogun State Government and a Chinese company.

The statement detailed that on August 14, 2024, the Nigerian government learned of the interim attachment of the aircraft, which were undergoing routine maintenance in France. This action followed ex-parte orders issued by the Paris Judicial Court on March 7, 2024, and August 12, 2024.

The orders were granted to Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited, a Chinese firm seeking to enforce a final arbitration award from March 26, 2021, against Ogun State. The dispute originated from a 2018 arbitration concerning the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone.

The AGF clarified that while the dispute involves Ogun State, the enforcement actions impact the Federal Government and its assets, in accordance with international law principles that hold the state accountable for its subnational entities’ actions.

The NSA and AGF are working to overturn the attachment orders, arguing that the aircraft are sovereign assets protected by immunity. The Federal Government maintains that these aircraft are used exclusively for sovereign purposes and should not be subject to such enforcement actions.

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