By Ogaga Ariemu
A Chinese firm, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Company has announced the release of one of the three Nigerian presidential jets seized on the order of a French court.
The company’s spokesperson disclosed this in a statement on Friday.
According to the company, the release of the aircraft is a gesture of goodwill as they have been made aware that the Nigerian President, Bola Tinubu would be needing it for a scheduled meeting with French President, Emmanuel Macron.
“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 company stated.
This comes after the firm secured a court order to seize a Dassault Falcon 7X, a Boeing 737-7N6/BBJ, and an Airbus A330-243 belonging to the Federal Government of Nigeria, stationed at airports in France.
The development is as a result of a contract revoked by the Ogun State government in 2016.
The judgment is the latest arbitration effort against Nigeria by a foreign company alleging that Africa’s most populous nation reneged on an agreement.
Earlier on Thursday, the Federal Government said it has initiated both legal and diplomatic steps to address the interim attachment of three presidential aircraft in France.
