The Chinese firm, Zhongshang Fucheng Industrial Investment Ltd. has seized yet another luxury jet, Bombardier 6000 type BD-700-1A10 aircraft owned by Nigeria in Canada.
In a continuing saga of international asset seizures, a $57 million luxury jet owned by Nigeria has been repossessed by Chinese investors, Zhongshang Fucheng Industrial Investment Ltd., in Canada. This marks the latest chapter in an ongoing legal dispute between the Nigerian government and the Chinese firm.
According to Peoples Gazette, Zhongshang recently received a change of custodian paperwork for the Bombardier 6000 type BD-700-1A10 aircraft from Canadian authorities in Montreal. This development follows the company’s recent seizure of Nigerian guest houses in Liverpool, UK, as part of its efforts to recover $70 million in arbitration awards against the West African nation.
Zhongshang received the official change of custodian paperwork for the Bombardier 6000 type BD-700-1A10 aircraft from Canadian authorities in Montreal.
This development follows a Canadian court’s ruling earlier this year, which allowed Zhongshang to seize the jet, furthering the firm’s efforts to enforce its arbitration awards against Nigeria.
A source with knowledge of Zhongshang’s activities said anonymously: “The court granted orders for Zhongshang to seize the plane earlier this year, but the change of custody from Nigeria to Zhongshang was only recently concluded.
“Zhongshang will not stop seizing Nigeria’s assets worldwide until the last cent of the arbitration awards has been paid.”
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The Superior Court of Quebec, under Judge David Collier, had previously dismissed Nigeria’s attempts to retain ownership of the aircraft. The Nigerian government argued that it could not respond to the lawsuit due to the February-March 2023 general elections, but the court found this reasoning “frivolous and unacceptable.”
This particular jet was purchased by fugitive Dan Etete, who allegedly misappropriated funds from the corrupt sale of the OPL 245 oil field in 2010.
Once owned by Nigeria, the aircraft had been seized from Etete in 2016 and subsequently transferred to Dubai. It was flown to Canada in 2020, where Nigeria sought a court order to reclaim it.
However, with the recent court ruling, Zhongshan is now positioned to pursue additional asset seizures globally, having already confiscated Nigerian properties in the UK, France, and Canada. The firm shows no signs of halting its pursuit until the arbitration claims are settled, raising concerns over the potential for further seizures in other jurisdictions, including the United States and Belgium.
Reactions on social media highlight public outrage over the government’s transparency and accountability, as many question the management of state assets and the implications for Nigeria’s reputation on the international stage.
