FG Accuses Chinese Firm Of Conspiracy Over Nigeria’s Presidential Jets

The Federal Government of Nigeria has accused a Chinese corporation, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited, of deception after a French court found in its favour and ordered the seizure two presidential aeroplanes belonging to the Nigerian government.

Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, revealed on Wednesday that the firm is pursuing a false claim against the Nigerian government, similar to the PI&D case in the UK.

According to Onanuga, the action was brought against Zhongshan Fucheng Ltd and the Ogun State government over a 2007 contract between the company and the state government to oversee a free-trade zone.

He claimed that the case, which had previously been handled through Nigeria’s judicial system, is now being wrongfully prosecuted in Paris, with Zhongshan using “unorthodox” measures to deprive Nigeria of its assets overseas through deceit.

According to Onanuga, Zhongshan got two orders from the Judicial Court of Paris on March 7, 2024, and August 12, 2024, without properly notifying the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Ogun State Government.

The statement read: “The Presidency is aware of the various failed attempts by a Chinese company, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited, to take over offshore assets of the Federal Government of Nigeria through subterfuge.

“The Federal Government is not under any contractual obligation with the company. The case in which Zhongshan is trying to use every unorthodox means to strip our offshore assets is between the company and the Ogun State Government.

“It must be said without any equivocation that Zhongshan has no solid ground to demand restitution from the Ogun State Government based on the facts regarding the 2007 contract between the company and the State Government to manage a free-trade zone.

“While the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice is working with the Ogun State Government on an amicable resolution, Zhongshan obtained two orders from the Judicial Court of Paris dated March 7, 2024, and August 12, 2024, without any notice being duly served on the Federal Government of Nigeria and Ogun State Government.

“This arm-twisting tactic by the Chinese company is the latest in a long list of failed moves to attach Nigerian government-owned assets in foreign jurisdictions.

“The material facts in the transaction between the Ogun State Government and Zhongshan point to another P&ID case in which unscrupulous and questionable individuals falsely present themselves as investors with the sole objective of undercutting and scamming Governments in Africa,” he said.

Furthermore, Onanuga claimed that the Chinese company is misleading the Judicial Court in Paris, France, by concealing critical facts concerning the case from the court.

He further claimed that the company misled the Judicial Court of Paris about the usage and nature of the assets it sought to attach and failed to properly disclose to the court as required by law.

According to Onanuga, this is analogous to the PI &D case, in which foreign organisations attempted to defraud Nigeria of its assets through unscrupulous tactics.

“Undoubtedly, Zhongshan withheld vital information and misled the Judicial Court in Paris into attaching the Nigerian government’s presidential jets, which are on routine maintenance in France. 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.

“We are convinced the Chinese company misled the Judicial Court of Paris regarding the use and nature of the assets it seeks to attach and did not fully disclose to the court as required by law.

“This same Chinese company had tried to enforce its questionable judgment in the UK and USA but failed,” Onanuga added.

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli