The company emphasized its commitment to resolving the dispute amicably. The jets were reportedly seized due to an ongoing financial disagreement between Zhongshan and the Ogun State government.
Zhongshan, the Chinese company responsible for the seizure of three Nigerian government presidential jets, has expressed its willingness to engage in discussions with Nigerian officials.
The company emphasized its commitment to resolving the dispute amicably. The jets were reportedly seized due to an ongoing financial disagreement between Zhongshan and the Ogun State government.
The company’s export processing zone management contract was terminated by the Ogun State government in 2016. The seized jets, which are part of Nigeria’s presidential air fleet, are a Dassault Falcon 7X at Le Bourget airport in Paris, a Boeing 737 and an undelivered Airbus 330 at Basel-Mulhouse airport in Switzerland, which was purchased by Nigeria but not yet received.
In a ruling by an independent arbitral tribunal, chaired by a former UK Supreme Court President, Zhongshan was awarded approximately $74.5 million in compensation.
Despite the federal government’s efforts to resolve the issue amicably, the Ogun State government has yet to comply with the award.
In a statement released on Thursday, Zhongshan Company announced that it is ready to enter serious negotiations with the Federal Government of Nigeria
The statement reads, “Zhongshan has only ever sought to assert its rights under international law and is confident in its case. The independent arbitral panel was found unanimously in its favour, and courts in multiple countries have upheld the view that the panel’s compensation should be enforced. The French court was fully aware of the facts when it reached its decision.
“Far from being just a fence, the Ogun Free Trade Zone was featured as a significant international investment by the Economist Intelligence Unit.
“Zhongshan has for a long time been ready to enter serious negotiations with the Federal Government of Nigeria to settle this case and still awaits an indication that the government is equally willing.”
Gistcore on Thursday reported that the Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to the Governor of Ogun State, Hon. Kayode Akinmade, disclosed that Zhongshan’s initial willingness to consider Ogun State’s offer was surprisingly reversed, with an insistence on the payment of the full debt.
Akinmade said the attention of the Ogun State Government was drawn to the provisional attachment of three Nigerian government owned aircraft in France by the Chinese company, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Ltd. (“Zhongshan”).
According to him, Ogun State also learned of two orders of the Judicial Court of Paris dated 7 March 2024 and 12 August 2024 respectively, both obtained by Zhongshan without notice being duly given to the Federal Government of Nigeria, Ogun State or their legal counsel.
“This is the latest in a series of ill-advised attempts by Zhongshan to attach Nigerian-owned assets in foreign jurisdictions, none of which have to date led to the recovery of any sums from Nigeria,” he said.
He said each of the three aircraft is used solely for sovereign purposes and as such are immune from attachment under international and French law.
“In obtaining the provisional attachments, Zhongshan deliberately withheld information from the Federal Government of Nigeria, Ogun State and their legal counsel.
“Shockingly, it also appears to have misled the Judicial Court of Paris as to the use and nature of the assets it seeks to attach and not made full disclosure to the court as required by law,” the statement said.
Akinmade said Ogun State in conjunction with the Federal Government of Nigeria, had taken swift action to ensure that the provisional attachments are lifted without delay.
“Just like the P&ID case, this is another unfortunate case of unscrupulous individuals masquerading as foreign investors with the sole aim of defrauding Ogun State and Nigeria,” he said.
The presidency has accused Zhongshan of attempting to take over Nigeria’s offshore assets through subterfuge.
The presidency and Ogun State government have initiated efforts to vacate the court order.
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