In a move that has captured international attention, the Nigerian government and Ogun State are urgently trying to overturn a Paris court order that led to the seizure of three presidential jets. The jets were taken by order of the Judicial Court of Paris after a legal dispute with Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Company, a Chinese firm.
This legal battle began when Ogun State signed a contract with Zhongshan in 2007. The deal was for Zhongshan to manage a free-trade zone in the state, a project meant to boost economic activity. However, by 2015, disagreements between the two parties escalated, leading to a legal arbitration process in 2016. The arbitration concluded in 2019 with a decision that stunned the Nigerian government: they were ordered to pay Zhongshan over $60 million, despite the company having done little more than building a fence around the free-trade zone.
Refusing to accept what they saw as an unfair ruling, both the Nigerian government and Ogun State have been fighting the arbitration award in courts around the world. They have successfully blocked attempts to enforce the payment in several countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom.
However, Zhongshan recently obtained two court orders in Paris—one on March 7, 2024, and another on August 12, 2024—allowing them to seize the presidential jets. The Nigerian government argues that they were never given proper notice about these cases in Paris, and they are now racing to have the orders overturned.
Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, has been vocal about the government’s stance. He accused Zhongshan of using underhanded tactics to strip Nigeria of its assets, comparing the situation to the notorious P&ID case. In that case, another foreign company, Process and Industrial Development Limited (P&ID), tried to claim $11 billion from Nigeria over a failed contract. Nigeria eventually won that legal battle, but it was a long and costly process.
Onanuga emphasized that the presidential jets, which were seized in France, are protected under international law because they are used for government purposes. He expressed confidence that the Nigerian government will succeed in getting the Paris court orders thrown out, accusing Zhongshan of misleading the court by withholding important information about the nature of the jets.
Ogun State is also heavily involved in the effort to reverse the Paris court’s decision. The state’s government, led by Governor Dapo Abiodun, had been in negotiations with Zhongshan to resolve the dispute amicably. They even held a three-day meeting in London in September 2023 to discuss a potential settlement. Initially, it seemed like Zhongshan was open to a compromise, but the talks broke down when the company suddenly demanded the full $60 million payment.
Kayode Akinmade, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Strategy, condemned Zhongshan’s legal maneuvers, calling the court orders a “charade” and accusing the company of acting in bad faith. Akinmade reiterated that the jets are used solely for government purposes and should be immune from seizure under both international and French laws. He also noted that Ogun State had successfully fought off similar attempts by Zhongshan in other countries and would continue to do so.
The situation has also drawn criticism from prominent political figures. Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, described the seizure of the jets as an “international embarrassment” for Nigeria. He criticized the federal government for its lack of transparency and questioned why such an expensive deal for presidential jets was made at a time when the country is grappling with severe economic hardship.
Obi pointed out that Nigerians were kept in the dark about both the purchase and the seizure of the jets. He argued that the government’s secrecy and lack of accountability have contributed to the country’s leadership failures. Obi also questioned whether Ogun State had followed its agreement with Zhongshan properly and whether the federal government had taken the necessary steps to protect Nigeria’s assets after similar legal issues arose in the UK.
As the Nigerian government and Ogun State work to overturn the Paris court orders, the case highlights a larger issue: Nigeria’s vulnerability to international legal disputes. Whether it’s the P&ID case or this latest incident with Zhongshan, the country seems to be constantly battling to protect its assets from foreign companies looking to exploit legal loopholes.
The outcome of this case could have significant implications for Nigeria’s reputation on the global stage. If the government fails to get the court orders reversed, it could encourage other foreign companies to target Nigerian assets in similar ways. But for now, the focus is on reclaiming the jets and repairing the damage to Nigeria’s image.
This case is far from over, and the stakes are high. The Nigerian government is determined to protect its assets and prevent a repeat of the P&ID saga. As the legal battle continues, the eyes of the world are watching to see how Nigeria will navigate this complex and high-stakes situation.
