State House, Abuja– The Presidency has accused the Chinese company, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited, of an arm-twisting tactic to seize the nation’s three presidential jets in France.
The federal government stated this while reacting to the French Court, ordering the seizure of three Nigerian Presidential jets.
The Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed this in a statement shared by Special Assistant to President on Social Media, Olusegun Dada via his X handle (formerly known as Twitter) @DOlusegun
Onanuga said the Chinese company’s attempt is the latest in a long list of failed moves to attach Nigerian government-owned assets in foreign jurisdictions.
The presidential aide accused Zhongshan of withholding vital information and misleading the Judicial Court in Paris into attaching the Nigerian government’s presidential jets.
“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.”
The Tinubu’s administration lambasted the Chinese Company, stating that:
“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.”
In a similar development, the Ogun State government said it has in conjunction with the Federal Government of Nigeria, taken swift action to ensure that these provisional attachments are lifted without delay.
The southwest state said the three aircraft are used solely for sovereign purposes and as such are immune from attachment under international and French law.
In a statement shared via the state government X handle, @OGSG_Official, the Chinese company allegedly came into the country to defraud Ogun state and Nigeria.
“Just like the P&ID case, this is another unfortunate case of unscrupulous individuals masquerading as foreign investors with the sole aim of defrauding Ogun State and Nigeria.”
