A Chinese firm, Zhongshang Fucheng Industrial Investment Ltd, has seized another Nigerian jet in Canada, intensifying the ongoing $70 million arbitration dispute between the company and the Nigerian government. The latest seizure involves a Bombardier 6000 type BD-700-1A10 aircraft, following a Quebec court ruling in March 2024 that empowered the firm to take control of the jet.
This development comes shortly after Zhongshang Fucheng confiscated three Nigerian aircraft in France, though one was released as a goodwill gesture ahead of President Bola Tinubu’s meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron. Tinubu later used the released Airbus A330 business jet for his trip to France on Monday, despite controversy surrounding its acquisition.
The Chinese firm’s actions are part of a broader effort to enforce arbitration awards against Nigeria, amounting to over $70 million. The awards stem from a protracted legal battle involving assets tied to former Nigerian officials, including the notorious OPL 245 oil field deal. Zhongshang Fucheng has already seized several Nigerian assets abroad, including properties in Liverpool, a Dassault Falcon 7X in Paris, and a Boeing 737.
In the latest twist, the Superior Court of Quebec, presided over by Judge David Collier, dismissed Nigeria’s attempt to retain ownership of the Bombardier 6000 jet, which was originally purchased for $57 million by Dan Etete, a fugitive linked to the corrupt sale of the OPL 245 oil field in 2010. The jet is now the latest asset claimed by the Chinese firm as it continues its aggressive pursuit of Nigeria’s overseas properties.
