Zhongshang Fucheng Industrial Investment Ltd, a Chinese company, has seized a Bombardier 6000 jet registered to Nigeria in Canada. This action adds to the company’s growing list of confiscated Nigerian assets, which already includes properties in Liverpool, a Dassault Falcon 7X in Paris, a Boeing 737, and an Airbus A330.
The legal dispute with the Ogun State Government led to an arbitration award exceeding $70 million against Nigeria. Zhongshang is pursuing enforcement of this award by seizing assets abroad.
Seized Assets:
- Properties in Liverpool
- Dassault Falcon 7X in Paris
- Boeing 737
- Airbus A330
- Bombardier 6000 in Canada (most recent)
The Bombardier 6000 was acquired for $57 million by Dan Etete, a fugitive linked to the corrupt sale of the OPL 245 oil field in 2010. Judge David Collier of the Superior Court of Quebec dismissed Nigeria’s attempt to retain ownership of the jet on March 21, 2024.
In a recent development, Zhongshang released one of the three presidential aircraft it had previously seized in France. This release came as a gesture of goodwill prior to a meeting between Nigerian President Bola Tinubu and French President Emmanuel Macron. Despite the ongoing controversies surrounding its acquisition, Tinubu traveled to France on the released Airbus A330 on August 19, 2024.