BREAKING: Presidency Breaks Silence over Seizure of 3 Nigerian Presidential Jets

• President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led federal government has reacted to the alleged seizure of three presidential jets in France
• The Presidency said the jets are protected by diplomatic immunity and foreign Court are forbidden from issuing an order against them
• The Chinese company was accused of withholding vital information and misleading the Judicial Court in Paris into attaching the Nigerian government's presidential jets

Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 5 years of experience covering metro and government policy

State House, Abuja—The Presidency has accused the Chinese company Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited of using arm-twisting tactics 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

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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.”

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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."

Tinubu’s govt puts 3 aircraft up for sale

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led federal government put three ageing presidential jets up for sale.

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The sale would cut the number of jets in the presidential air fleet by half as it reportedly consists of six airplanes and four helicopters.

Proofread by Kola Muhammed, journalist and copyeditor at Legit.ng

Source: Legit.ng