Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Ltd has announced the release of one of the three Nigerian Airbus A330 aircraft detained in France, following a court order obtained from a Paris judicial court.
In a statement issued on Friday, a spokesperson for Zhongshan emphasized, “Zhongshan has consistently acted reasonably and fairly in a legal dispute with Nigeria, which it did not initiate.”
The statement read: “Zhongshan has consistently acted reasonably and fairly in a legal dispute with Nigeria, which it did not initiate.”
The company has been informed that an Airbus A330, currently detained in France due to a French court order obtained by Zhongshan, is needed by the President of Nigeria for his upcoming meeting with President Macron next week. “As a goodwill gesture, Zhongshan has lifted the seizure, allowing the aircraft to be used for the President’s trip.”
The Federal Government of Nigeria had confirmed earlier this week that it is taking legal measures to address the interim seizure of the three presidential aircraft in France. These aircraft, which were undergoing routine maintenance, were detained under ex parte orders issued by the Paris Judicial Court on March 7 and August 12, 2024.
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These legal actions followed an arbitral award granted in 2021 against Ogun State, a Nigerian sub-national entity, which Zhongshan is seeking to enforce.
Kamarudeen Ogundele, Special Adviser to the President on Communication and Publicity at the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, stated, “The aircraft are sovereign assets, used exclusively for sovereign purposes, and are therefore immune from attachment.” He confirmed that the Nigerian government is pursuing both legal and diplomatic measures to secure the release of the aircraft.
Zhongshan reiterated its confidence in the arbitral panel’s ruling, which was unanimously in the company’s favor.
The spokesperson highlighted, “Zhongshan has only sought to assert its rights under international law and remains confident in its case. The independent arbitral panel found unanimously in our favor, and courts in several countries have affirmed the panel’s award of compensation. The French court had all the relevant facts when it made its decision.”
This new development, with Zhongshan’s decision to release one of the detained aircraft, adds a significant twist to the ongoing saga.
