Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited has recently announced the release of one of the three Nigerian aircraft, Airbus A330, which had been detained in France.
This comes after the company obtained a court order from a judiciary court in Paris.
According to a spokesperson of the company, the decision to release the aircraft is a gesture of goodwill, particularly as the company has been informed of the need for the aircraft by President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, who is scheduled to meet with the President of France, Emmanuel Macron.
The spokesperson via a statement said, “Zhongshan has consistently sought to act reasonably and fairly in the course of a legal dispute with Nigeria which was not of its making.
“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.”
The spokesperson reaffirmed the company’s dedication to engaging in discussions with the Nigerian government in order to swiftly reach a fair resolution.
On Thursday, the Federal Government announced that it has taken legal action to address the temporary detainment of three presidential aircraft in France.
These aircraft, which were undergoing routine maintenance, were seized following court orders issued on March 7 and August 12, 2024, by the Judicial Court of Paris.
The orders were granted to Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited, a Chinese company enforcing an arbitral award obtained in its favor in 2021 against Ogun State, a sub-national entity in Nigeria.
According to Kamarudeen Ogundele, SA to the President on Communication and Publicity, Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, both the Offices of the National Security Adviser and the Attorney-General of the Federation have taken legal and diplomatic steps to secure the release of the aircraft.
Ogundele emphasized that these actions are based on the belief that the aircraft are sovereign assets, used exclusively for sovereign purposes, and are therefore exempt from seizure.
Meanwhile, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited expressed their confidence in the unanimous decision of the arbitral panel in their favor.
The company’s spokesperson stated that the arbitral panel, responsible for settling the dispute, decisively ruled in favor of Zhongshan and recommended the payment of compensation.
This decision was supported by courts in various countries, further validating the legitimacy of the panel’s conclusions.
“Zhongshan has only ever sought to assert its rights under international law, and is confident in its case. The independent arbitral panel found unanimously in its favour, and courts in multiple countries have upheld the view that the panel’s award of compensation should be enforced. The French court was in full possession of the facts when it reached its decision.” The Spokesperson said.
