A Chinese firm, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Ltd, has released one of the three Nigerian Airbus A330 aircraft that had been detained in France due to a legal dispute.
The company made this move as a goodwill gesture, recognizing that Nigerian President Ahmed Bola Tinubu needed the aircraft for an upcoming meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron.
The Airbus A330 was detained following a court order obtained from a Paris judicial court. In a statement, Zhongshan Fucheng announced the release of the aircraft, emphasizing their fair approach in the ongoing legal conflict with Nigeria. “Zhongshan has consistently acted reasonably and fairly in a legal dispute with Nigeria, which it did not initiate,” the company spokesperson said. “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.”
Despite releasing the aircraft, the Chinese firm remains committed to ongoing negotiations with the Nigerian government, hoping to reach a swift and reasonable compromise. The legal dispute had led to the interim seizure of three Nigerian presidential aircraft in France, following ex parte orders issued by the Paris Judicial Court on March 7 and August 12, 2024.
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, confirmed that the Nigerian government is taking both legal and diplomatic steps to resolve the issue. He noted that the Offices of the National Security Adviser and Attorney-General of the Federation are actively working to secure the release of the aircraft. Ogundele emphasized the sovereign status of the aircraft, stating, “These aircraft are sovereign assets, used exclusively for sovereign purposes, and are therefore immune from attachment.”
Zhongshan Fucheng, on the other hand, expressed confidence in the validity of its legal claims, citing the decision of an independent arbitral panel that ruled in its favor. The company pointed out that courts in several countries have upheld the panel’s decision to award compensation to Zhongshan, reinforcing their legal position. The spokesperson remarked, “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.”
The release of the aircraft allows President Tinubu to proceed with his scheduled trip to France, where he is expected to meet with President Macron. The Nigerian government continues to pursue the release of the remaining detained aircraft while negotiating the broader legal and diplomatic challenges posed by this dispute.