Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited, a Chinese company embroiled in a legal dispute with Nigeria, is reportedly expanding its efforts to seize Nigerian assets in multiple countries, including the United Kingdom, United States, and six others. This development follows the company’s successful move to ground three presidential jets in Europe, as part of its attempt to recover a $74.5 million compensation awarded by an independent tribunal.
According to documents obtained by The PUNCH, the Chinese firm has initiated legal proceedings across eight jurisdictions globally, aiming to enforce the tribunal’s award. These countries include Belgium, Canada, France, Singapore, and the British Virgin Islands, among others. The dispute centers around the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone (OGFTZ), a joint venture initiated in 2007 between the Ogun State Government and a Chinese company to create an industrial park in Ogun State.
The conflict escalated after Ogun State terminated its agreement with Zhongshan’s parent company in 2016, leading to a series of legal battles in Nigerian courts, which were later discontinued. However, a French court recently authorized the seizure of three Nigerian presidential jets, including a Boeing 737 and an Airbus 330, which were part of the Nigerian government’s assets.
Zhongshan has continued to pursue its claims, filing lawsuits in various international jurisdictions to seize Nigerian assets abroad. The company is reportedly targeting assets in the UK, USA, Belgium, Canada, France, and other countries, as it seeks to enforce the $74.5 million tribunal award, which Ogun State has yet to pay.
The Federal Government of Nigeria has vowed to protect its assets from what it describes as “predatory” actions by Zhongshan. The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), stated that legal and diplomatic steps are being taken to recover the seized presidential aircraft and prevent further asset seizures. The government insists that the jets are sovereign assets, protected under international law, and immune from attachment.
The Ogun State Government has also criticized the judicial process that led to the seizure of the aircraft, describing it as a fraudulent attempt by the Chinese company to appropriate Nigerian assets. The state government alleges that Zhongshan deliberately withheld information from Nigerian authorities and their legal counsel to secure the seizure orders.
The case has drawn comparisons to the notorious P&ID case, with the Ogun State Government accusing Zhongshan of attempting to defraud Nigeria through unscrupulous means. The dispute over the OGFTZ, which has spanned several years and multiple legal battles, continues to pose a significant challenge for both the Ogun State and Federal Governments as they seek to protect Nigeria’s assets abroad.
