By Cheta Enyoghasi
A Chinese company, Zhongshang Fucheng Industrial Investment Ltd., has completed the repossession of a luxury airplane owned by Nigeria in Canada.
According to the Peoples Gazette, Zhongshang was granted permission by a Canadian court to take possession of the Bombardier 6000 type BD-700-1A10 aircraft, and as a result, the company was able to obtain the necessary papers for a change of custodian for the aircraft from Nigeria.
A person familiar with Zhongshang’s activities said anonymously that a court ordered Zhongshang to seize the plane earlier this year, but the custody change from Nigeria to Zhongshang was only recently concluded.
“The court granted orders for Zhongshang to seize the plane earlier this year, but the change of custody from Nigeria to Zhongshang was only recently concluded.
“Zhongshang will not stop seizing Nigeria’s assets worldwide until the last cent of the arbitration awards has been paid.”
Judge David Collier of the Superior Court of Quebec quashed Nigeria’s arguments to keep ownership of the aircraft purchased for $57 million by fugitive Dan Etete.
The aircraft was said to have been seized from Etete in 2016 and flown to Canada in 2020, where Nigeria obtained a court order for seizure.
However, Canadian courts allowed Nigeria to remain in charge of the aircraft. In 2023, Zhongshang moved to seize the jet while pursuing enforcement of its arbitration awards of over $70 million against Nigeria.
Nigeria failed to enter into a dispute against the aircraft’s seizure by Zhongshang, and the judge also rejected Nigeria’s sovereign immunity claim.
An appellate court in the United States also ruled that Nigeria cannot claim sovereign immunity from Zhongshang’s recovery of its arbitration judgement.
Zhongshang has since successfully seized Nigeria’s assets in the UK, France, and Canada, and is also expecting more seizures in Belgium and the U.S.
The Chinese firm claims Nigeria violated 2001 trade treaty with China when rescinding free trade zone rights in 2016.
Despite losing all challenges against Chinese investors in five countries, Nigeria maintains no wrongdoing in lawsuits.
