Zhongshan, the Chinese firm that secured a court order to confiscate three Nigerian presidential jets has released one of the aircraft, a spokesperson for the company has told the media.
“Zhongshan has consistently sought to act reasonably and fairly in the course of a legal dispute with Nigeria which was not of its making,” the official told newsmen on Friday afternoon.
It (Zhongshan) 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.
“Zhongshan remains committed to talks with representatives of the Federal Government of Nigeria, this time serious and substantive on both sides, with a view to reaching a reasonable compromise settlement rapidly.”
The company, however, did not say when the two remaining aircraft being detained would be released.Zhongshan officials had on Thursday told newsmen that they were willing to negotiate with the Nigerian government to resolve the logjam that culminated in the seizure of the three aircraft.
GTN had on Wednesday reported how a French court authorised the seizure of three presidential jets linked to the Federal Government of Nigeria.The court order prohibits the jets’ movement, sale, or purchase until Zhongshan receives the awarded $74.5 million. Bailiffs have served papers for each aircraft.
Reacting in a statement on Thursday, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, described the French court’s order attaching Nigeria’s presidential jets as a result of the arm-twisting tactic by a Chinese company.
Mr Onanuga highlighted various efforts the federal government and the Ogun State government had made to resolve the matter. He said the Zhongshan “withheld vital information and misled” the French court in Paris into attaching the Nigerian government’s presidential jets.
He said the jets were on routine maintenance in France when the court order was issued.“The use and nature of the Presidential jets as assets of a Sovereign entity whose assets are protected by diplomatic immunity forbid any foreign Court from issuing an order against them,” the statement said.
