This information was revealed by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, through a statement issued on Thursday by his spokesperson, Kamarudeen Ogundele.

The AGF condemned the recent court orders concerning three presidential aircraft currently undergoing standard maintenance in France, describing the orders as inappropriate. He noted that the government became aware of the jets’ temporary seizure on Wednesday, August 14, 2024.

The interim seizure of the jets was carried out under ex parte orders from the Judicial Court of Paris. These orders were obtained by Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited, a Chinese company, which is attempting to enforce a final arbitration award in its favor against Ogun State, a Nigerian sub-national entity.

“The arbitral award originated from a contractual dispute between the Chinese company and the Ogun State Government, dating back to 2018 and relating to the operation and management of the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone,” the AGF explained.

He further emphasized that although the dispute involved the Ogun State Government, the enforcement actions are now being directed at the Federal Government. This shift aligns with international law, where actions by a subnational entity are attributed to the State or country itself.

The Federal Government reiterated its position that while exploring further legal options to resolve the dispute, the aircraft in question are sovereign assets used exclusively for sovereign purposes, and as such, they are immune from the attachment sought by Zhongshan.