The release is a goodwill gesture, acknowledging President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s need for the aircraft for his scheduled meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron.
In a statement, a company spokesperson said Zhongshan has acted reasonably and fairly in the legal dispute with Nigeria, which it did not initiate. The company hopes to reach a “reasonable compromise swiftly” through negotiations with the Nigerian government.
The Federal Government had initiated legal steps to address the interim seizure of the three presidentialaircraft in France, which were detained 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, confirmed that the Offices of the National Security Adviser and Attorney-General of the Federation are pursuing both legal and diplomatic measures to secure the release of the aircraft. He emphasized that the aircraft are sovereign assets, used exclusively for sovereign purposes, and are therefore immune from attachment.
Zhongshan reiterated its confidence in the arbitral panel’s ruling, which was unanimously in the company’s favor. The spokesperson highlighted that courts in multiple countries have upheld the panel’s decision to award compensation, further legitimizing the company’s stance.
