- Chinese company, Zhongshan Fucheng seized three Nigerian presidential jets as collateral
- Presidency condemned the act, vowed to protect national assets from 'Shylocks'
- The Chinese company released one jet for the President’s meeting with President Macron of France early next week
The Chinese company said the aircraft was released because the President would need it for an upcoming meeting with President Macron of France early next week.
This was disclosed by the company's spokesperson on Friday, August 16. The statement said, “Zhongshan has consistently sought to act reasonably and fairly in the course of a legal dispute with Nigeria which was not of its making,” the official told this newspaper Friday afternoon.
Chinese company released one jet for President’s trip to France
“It (Zhongshan) has now been made aware that an Airbus A330, currently detained in France as a result of a French court order obtained by Zhongshan, is needed for the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to travel to a scheduled meeting with President Macron of France early next week.
“As a gesture of goodwill, Zhongshan has lifted the seizure of that aircraft immediately. This will allow it to be used for the President’s trip.
“Zhongshan remains committed to talks with representatives of the Federal Government of Nigeria, this time serious and substantive on both sides, with a view to reaching a reasonable compromise settlement rapidly.”
Zhongshan seized three Nigerian presidential jets as collateral
Zhongshan, the Chinese company, had secured a court order to seize three Nigerian presidential jets as collateral until it received the $74.5 million awarded in its favour against Nigeria.
Recall that The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said that the federal government, in collaboration with the Ogun State government, is taking all necessary steps to overturn the frivolous order obtained by Zhongshan in Paris to seize Nigeria’s presidential jets.
Presidency condemned act, vowed to protect national assets
He said, “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.
“We want to assure Nigerians that the Federal Government is working with the Ogun State Government to discharge this frivolous order in Paris immediately.
“Nigerian Government will always work to protect our national assets from predators and shylocks who masquerade as investors,” Bayo Onanuga stated.
FG suspends import duties, taxes on essential food items to address inflation
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that the Federal Government suspended import duties and taxes on essential food items to make them affordable and address food inflation.
The Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, said the Federal Government is committed to seamlessly implementing import duties and tax suspensions to tame food inflation and combat hunger in the country.