Nigeria Commences Legal, Diplomatic Move to Release Seized Presidential Aircraft 

*Says the 3 aircraft  are immune because they are sovereign assets

Alex Enumah in Abuja 

The federal government on Thursday disclosed that it had commenced move to recover three aircraft in the presidential fleet being held in Paris, France, over alleged judgement debt.

The move according to Mr Kamarudeen Ogundele, S. A, to the President on Communication and Publicity, Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, is being spearheaded by the AGF and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

News of the seizure of the presidential aircraft filtered in on Thursday with various agencies and the Ogun State government shedding light on the issue.

According to Ogundele, the federal government became aware of the interim attachment of three presidential aircraft undergoing routine maintenance in France on August 14.

He explained that the said temporary attachment was made pursuant to ex parte orders issued by the Judicial Court of Paris dated March 7, 2024 and August 12, 2024 respectively at the instance of Messrs. Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited, a Chinese company seeking to enforce a Final Award granted in its favour on March 26, 2021, against one of Nigeria’s sub-nationals, Ogun State.

“It is to be noted that the arbitral award arose from an arbitration proceeding which commenced in 2018 as a fallout of a contractual dispute between the Chinese company and Ogun State Government over the operation and management of Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone.

“We wish to clarify that, though the dispute originated from engagements of Ogun State Government, however, the consequential enforcement actions are being directed against the federal government and its assets in line with extant principles of international law which holds that the actions of a subnational or local entity are attributable to the state or country itself.

“The Offices of the National Security Adviser and the Attorney-General of the Federation, have already set in motion both legal and diplomatic steps to ensure the discharge of the inappropriate orders against the aircraft, which are covered by sovereign immunity. 

“While, further actions are being put in place to resolve the entire dispute through available legal means, the firm position of the Federal Government remains that the aircraft in question are sovereign assets used solely for sovereign purposes and are therefore immune from attachment as Zhongshan has sought to do”, the statement read in part.