Tinubu Heads to France as Chinese Investors Pursue Seizure of Nigeria’s Presidential Jets

Tinubu Heads to France as Chinese Investors Pursue Seizure of Nigeria’s Presidential Jets

President Bola Tinubu is set to travel to France on August 19, departing from Abuja amidst a looming crisis over Nigeria’s presidential jets. The trip comes as Chinese investors attempt to seize the country’s presidential aircraft in France, citing a disputed contract.

Ajuri Ngelale, the president’s media aide, confirmed the travel plans in a statement on Sunday. He noted that President Tinubu would return to Nigeria after a brief working visit to France.

The controversy intensified on Thursday when the Nigerian government vowed to resist any attempt by Chinese investors to confiscate the presidential jets. Lateef Fagbemi, the attorney general of the federation and minister of justice, emphasized that the aircraft are sovereign assets used exclusively for state purposes and are protected by sovereign immunity from any form of attachment.

This statement follows the interim attachment of three presidential aircraft undergoing routine maintenance in France, enforced by the Judicial Court of Paris under ex parte orders dated March 7 and August 12, 2024. The orders were issued at the request of Zhongshan Industrial Investment Company Limited, a Chinese firm seeking to enforce an arbitration award from March 26, 2024, related to a contract dispute with the Ogun State government.

Despite the origin of the dispute being tied to the Ogun government, the enforcement actions have targeted the federal government’s assets, raising concerns over Nigeria’s international obligations. The federal government, through the National Security Adviser’s Office and the Ministry of Justice, is actively pursuing both diplomatic and legal channels to overturn the orders and protect the aircraft.

In a related development, a U.S. appellate court recently ruled against Nigeria’s claim of sovereign immunity, allowing a Chinese consortium to proceed with efforts to confiscate Nigerian assets abroad. This ruling, issued on August 9, 2024, by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, further complicates the situation as President Tinubu seeks to contain the crisis from spreading to other jurisdictions.