The conflict deepens as a Chinese firm seizes a Nigerian luxury jet in Canada. Discover the latest updates on this international dispute.
In Canada, a luxury jet that belonged to Nigeria has been repossessed by Zhongshang Fucheng Industrial Investment Ltd., a Chinese company.
According to the Peoples Gazette, Zhongshang has received a new custodian document for their Bombardier 6000 aircraft, model BD-700-1A10. This comes after Canadian authorities in Montreal issued it due to a court ruling that allows them to take possession of the jet from Nigeria.
An anonymous source who is familiar with Zhongshang’s activities stated that the court had given orders earlier this year for seizing the plane, but it was only recently completed after being transferred from Nigeria to Zhongshang.
Until every penny of the arbitration awards is settled, Zhongshang will persist in seizing Nigeria’s assets across the globe.
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On March 21, 2024, Judge David Collier of the Superior Court of Quebec rejected Nigeria’s claims to retain possession of the aircraft as stated in the report.
According to records, fugitive Dan Etete spent $57 million on buying an aircraft as a part of his spending spree after earning over $350 million from the corrupt sale of OPL 245 oil field in 2010.
According to the report, in 2016 Nigeria initially confiscated Etete’s aircraft and confined it in Dubai. In a surprising turn of events on May 29, 2020, flight tracking websites revealed that the plane was unexpectedly transported to Canada where Nigeria promptly obtained a court order for seizure. The plane has since been held at Montreal’s main airport.
Despite attempts by Tibit, a Canadian company, to assert ownership over the aircraft, Nigerian courts maintained control.
To elaborate, the report stated that in 2023 Zhongshang took possession of the aircraft while actively seeking to enforce arbitration awards exceeding $70 million against Nigeria.
According to Judge Collier, Nigeria’s excuse of being unable to address the lawsuit against Zhongshang’s seizure of their aircraft for a period of nine months due to the general elections in February-March 2023 was deemed frivolous and unacceptable. The judge also mentioned that Nigerian authorities didn’t take any action towards entering into a dispute with regard to this matter.
Along the already specified lines by the arbitration panel and courts in the United Kingdom, Nigeria’s claim of sovereign immunity was also overturned by the judge.
A ruling by a US appellate court has determined that Nigeria is unable to assert sovereign immunity in the face of Zhongshang’s pursuit of its arbitration award.
Nigeria’s assets in the UK, France and Canada have been successfully seized by Zhongshang through recent advancements.
Based on the report, it is said that the company anticipates additional confiscations in Belgium and the United States within forthcoming weeks.
The case arose due to a disagreement between Zhongshang and Ogun State.
In 2016, the Chinese corporation stated that Nigeria had breached a trade agreement signed by both nations in 2001 when it revoked their entitlement to operate within a free trade zone.
Despite losing all of its challenges against Chinese investors in at least five countries, Nigeria has maintained that it did not commit any wrongdoing in the lawsuits.
