The Presidency yesterday, said it is aware of the failed attempts by a Chinese company, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited, to take over off-shore assets of the Federal Government of Nigeria through subterfuge.
This comes after a Chinese company, Zhongshan, had successfully petitioned for the seizure of three Nigerian presidential jets. Reports had emerged on Wednesday indicating that a French court has granted an order for the seizure of the three jets linked to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The court’s decision comes as part of a lawsuit filed by Zhongshan, a Chinese company, to ensure the payment of a $74.5 million compensation award.
According to reports, the court granted the order in a ruling on the lawsuit. The seized presidential jets include a Dassault Falcon 7X at Le Bourget airport in Paris, a Boeing 737, and an Airbus 330 at Basel-Mulhouse airport in Switzerland. The court’s ruling bars the Federal Government of Nigeria from moving and selling the jets until one of its sub-national, Ogun State, pays Zhongshan the awarded $74.5 million compensation.
However, the Federal Government yesterday clarified that it is not under any contractual obligation with the company, noting that the case in which Zhongshan tries to use every unorthodox means to strip the country’s offshore assets is between the company and the Ogun State Government.
This was contained in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
