Seized Jets: Public Affairs Analyst Suggests Solutions to Avoid Future Aircraft Seizures

• A Nigerian political analyst has outlined steps to prevent future incidents of government aircraft being seized in foreign countries, following the grounding of three presidential planes in France
• The analyst emphasized the need for stronger legal agreements and better preparation when engaging in international contracts, particularly with foreign entities that may attempt to exploit developing nations
• The recent jet seizure stems from a long-standing dispute between Nigeria and a Chinese company over a terminated contract, sparking accusations of foul play from both sides

Nigeria — Political affairs analyst and lawyer, Kurtis Adigba, has proposed measures to prevent the seizure of Nigerian jets in the future, following a recent incident involving the grounding of three presidential planes in France.

In an interview with TVC News on Wednesday, August 21, Adigba described the situation as embarrassing for Nigeria but emphasized that it presents an opportunity for the country to learn and improve.

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“The Federal Attorney General has a role to play because he is the legal clearing house of the government. If the federal government is going to stand as a guarantor to any foreign loan in the future, then there has to be a very firm and strong agreement on what happens if the primary party defaults,” Adigba said during the interview.

Adigba also noted that while there is nothing inherently wrong with subnational entities engaging in contracts with foreign companies, it is crucial that they fulfill their obligations.

He warned that some foreign entities may attempt to exploit developing countries, urging Nigeria to be better prepared in the future.

Seeking International loans

Chidi Chinedu, a public affairs analyst, speaks on how such embarrassment can be avoided in the future:

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“To avoid such an embarrassment in the future, the federal and sub-national governments must begin to respect the primacy of contracts. They must learn not to recklessly and casually violate contractual arrangements. The implications, as we are seeing, can be devastating. Also, they must learn to consult widely and consider carefully before going into sensitive contracts, especially with foreign entities. More so, before putting a seal of sovereign guarantee on any contract, the federal government must weigh the implications closely, and after granting such, should issues arise between the primary contracting parties, the federal government should weigh in early enough to prevent escalation and foster swift resolution.”

Seized jets and government responses

The comments followed a French court's decision to seize three Nigerian government-owned jets, stemming from a longstanding dispute with a Chinese company.

The disagreement originated from a 2007 contract between Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment and Nigeria's Ogun state to develop a free-trade zone.

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The agreement, which was terminated between 2015 and 2016, led to a legal battle, with Zhongshan accusing Nigerian authorities of using a "campaign of illegal acts" to force them out of the deal. It has also been confirmed that one of the jets had been released.

Nigeria's government has strongly condemned the seizure, accusing Zhongshan of attempting to "undercut and scam" the African nation, BBC confirmed. The planes were undergoing routine maintenance in France at the time of the seizure, according to Nigerian officials.

Chinese firm seizes another Nigerian jet

Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that in what appears to be a global hunt for Nigeria’s assets, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Limited, a Chinese firm, has took possession of another luxury jet belonging to Nigeria in Canada.

The company obtained a change of ownership paperwork for the Bombardier 600 type BD-700-1A10 aircraft from the Canadian government in Montreal after a Quebec court issued a judgement empowering it to seize the jet from Nigeria.

Source: Legit.ng