The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has asserted that the aircraft within the presidential fleet are classified as sovereign assets, designated solely for governmental functions. He stated that these aircraft are shielded from any form of seizure by external parties.
Recently, three presidential aircraft that were undergoing scheduled maintenance in France were confiscated following ex parte orders issued by a Judicial Court in Paris.
Fagbemi highlighted that the government is actively engaging in both diplomatic and legal efforts to rectify this situation. The Attorney General’s Office is working alongside the National Security Adviser’s Office to lift the seizure orders, which he insists are invalid due to the sovereign immunity afforded to these aircraft.
He remarked, “While we navigate this issue through the appropriate legal channels, the federal government stands resolute in its position that these aircraft are sovereign assets utilized solely for state affairs and thus cannot be seized, as attempted by Zhongshan.”
This declaration follows the recent confiscation of the aircraft, which reportedly stems from an alleged debt owed by the Nigerian government. Fagbemi clarified that the orders were initiated by Zhongshan Industrial Investment Company Limited, a Chinese entity aiming to enforce an arbitral award against the Ogun State government.
