Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Ltd has announced the release of one of the three Nigerian Airbus A330 aircraft detained in France, following a court order issued by a Paris judicial court.
In a statement released on Friday, the company confirmed that the decision was a gesture of goodwill, acknowledging that Nigerian President Ahmed Bola Tinubu requires the aircraft for an upcoming meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron.
The statement reads, “Zhongshan was informed that an Airbus A330, currently detained in France due to a French court order obtained by our company, is needed for the President of Nigeria to attend a scheduled meeting with President Macron next week. As a goodwill gesture, Zhongshan has lifted the seizure, allowing the aircraft to be used for the President’s trip.”
Zhongshan emphasised that it has consistently aimed to act reasonably and fairly in the ongoing legal dispute with Nigeria.
The company expressed a desire for serious and substantive talks with representatives of the Federal Government of Nigeria to reach a swift and reasonable compromise settlement.
On Thursday, the Federal Government confirmed that it had initiated legal steps to address the interim seizure of the three presidential aircraft in France.
The aircraft, which were undergoing routine maintenance, were detained following ex parte orders issued by the Paris Judicial Court on March 7 and August 12, 2024.
These orders were obtained by Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Ltd, a Chinese company seeking to enforce an arbitral award granted in 2021 against Ogun State, a Nigerian sub-national entity.
Kamarudeen Ogundele, Special Adviser to the President on Communication and Publicity at the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, stated that both legal and diplomatic measures are being pursued to secure the release of the aircraft.
Ogundele emphasised that the aircraft are sovereign assets used exclusively for sovereign purposes, making them immune from attachment.
Meanwhile, Zhongshan reiterated its confidence in the arbitral panel’s ruling, which was unanimously in the company’s favor. The spokesperson noted that courts in multiple countries had upheld the panel’s decision to award compensation, further legitimising the company’s stance.
“Zhongshan has only sought to assert its rights under international law and remains confident in its case. The independent arbitral panel found unanimously in our favour, and courts in several countries have affirmed the panel’s award of compensation. The French court had all the relevant facts when it made its decision,” the spokesperson stated.
YOU MAY ALSO READ: WHO reports over 300 Cholera deaths in Sudan as Humanitarian crisis deepens