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Ogun deal: Plans ongoing to recover two presidential jets, says FG

Ogun deal: Plans ongoing to recover two presidential jets, says FG - Photo/Image

The Federal Government has disclosed ongoing plans to recover the two presidential aircraft seized by a Chinese company,  Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Company Ltd., on the orders of a French court, following a dispute with the Ogun State Government over the Ogun Free Trade Zone.

The spokesman, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Eche Abu-Ode, informed our correspondent on Wednesday that steps were being taken to retrieve the jets.

A French court had authorised the seizure of three presidential jets, two of which were part of Nigeria’s presidential air fleet that was recently put up for sale.

The jets include a Dassault Falcon 7X at Le Bourget airport in Paris, a Boeing 737, and an Airbus 330 at Basel-Mulhouse airport in Switzerland, which was released by the Chinese company last Friday.

Giving an update on the issue, Abu-Ode said, “Efforts are being made to retrieve the two aircraft seized. The obstacle you will face with Foreign Affairs is that certain information is confidential and unlike other ministries, we don’t readily address the press until conclusion of an issue or where the information will not jeopardise (the issue).”

The Attorne-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), had last Thursday said his office and that of the National Security Adviser had commenced legal and diplomatic moves to recover  the presidential aircraft seized over a fine awarded against Ogun State.

Fagbemi gave the assurance in a statement by his Special Adviser on Communication and Publicity, Kamarudeen Ogundele.

It stated, “The offices of the National Security Adviser and the Attorney-General of the Federation have already set in motion both legal and diplomatic steps to ensure the discharge of the inappropriate orders against the aircraft, which are covered by sovereign immunity.

“While further actions are being put in place to resolve the entire dispute through available legal means, the firm position of the Federal Government remains that the aircraft in question are sovereign assets used solely for sovereign purposes and are therefore immune from attachment as Zhongshan has sought to do,” the statement read in part.”

Zhongshan had dragged the Ogun State Government to court where an independent arbitral tribunal chaired by the former President of the UK Supreme Court awarded Zhongshan $74.5m in compensation, which the Ogun State Government failed  to honour.

The court order prohibited Nigeria from moving or selling the presidential jets until  Zhongshan had been paid the $74.5m. (Punch)

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