Three aircraft linked to the Nigerian government, including a newly acquired Airbus A330 worth over $100 million, have been seized by a French court amid a legal dispute.
The aircraft, a Dassault Falcon 7X, a Boeing 737, and the Airbus A330—were either part of the presidential fleet or recently bought by the government.
The Dassault Falcon 7X was being serviced at Paris-Le Bourget airport, while the Boeing 737 and Airbus A330 were at Basel-Mulhouse International Airport.
The seizure stems from a legal conflict between Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Ltd, a Chinese firm, and a Nigerian sub-national entity.
Zhongshan’s contract was canceled by Ogun State in 2016, and despite an arbitration ruling in Zhongshan’s favor, the compensation has not been paid.
Zhongshan pursued enforcement of the award through French courts, which granted the seizure to ensure the claim’s security.
The court has mandated that the aircraft be secured to prevent them from flying. Zhongshan has also pursued similar measures in the UK, where Nigerian government-owned buildings in Liverpool have been seized.
