Chinese Firm Releases Nigeria’s A330 Presidential Jet

Chinese firm, Zhongshan Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited, has released one of the three Nigerian aircraft detained in France.

The detention followed the order the company obtained by a judiciary court in Paris recently.

A statement from Zhongshan’s spokesperson yesterday quoted on network.ng, said the release of the aircraft, an Airbus A330, was a gesture of goodwill as they had been made aware that  President Bola Tinubu would need it for a scheduled meeting with  the French president, Emmanuel Macron.

Part of the statement said, „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 statement  mentioned that the company remains committed to talks with the Nigerian government with a view of reaching a “reasonable compromise rapidly”.

It would be noted that three aircraft which were undergoing routine maintenance, were temporarily seized following ex parte orders issued by the Judicial Court of Paris on March 7 and August 12, 2024.

The orders were obtained by Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited, a Chinese company seeking to enforce an arbitral award granted in its favor in 2021 against Ogun State, a sub-national entity in Nigeria.

The three presidential jets belonging to the federal government of Nigeria were seized by the French court over a failed business deal between the Ogun State government and Zhongshan. Two of the aircraft were recently put up for sale.