Investigation
Presidency exposes Chinese Company’s failed attempts to strip Nigeria’s assets abroad
The Presidency is aware of the various failed attempts by a Chinese company, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited, to take over offshore assets of the Federal Government of Nigeria through subterfuge.
The Federal Government is not under any contractual obligation with the company. The case in which Zhongshan is trying to use every unorthodox means to strip our offshore assets is between the company and the Ogun State Government.
The federal government is fully aware of efforts being made by the Ogun state government to reach an amicable resolution to the matter.
It must be said without any equivocation that Zhongshan has no solid ground to demand restitution from the Ogun State Government based on the facts regarding the 2007 contract between the company and the State Government to manage a free-trade zone.
When the contract with Ogun State was revoked in 2015, the company had only erected a perimeter fence on the land earmarked for a free trade zone.
While the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice are working with the Ogun State Government on an amicable resolution, Zhongshan obtained two orders from the Judicial Court of Paris dated March 7, 2024, and August 12, 2024, without any notice being duly served on the Federal Government of Nigeria and Ogun State Government.
This arm-twisting tactic by the Chinese company is the latest in a long list of failed moves to attach Nigerian government-owned assets to foreign jurisdictions.
Material facts in the transaction between the Ogun State Government and Zhongshan point to another P&ID case in which unscrupulous and questionable individuals falsely present themselves as investors with the sole objective of cheating and scamming Governments in Africa.
Undoubtedly, Zhongshan withheld vital information and misled the Judicial Court in Paris into attaching the Nigerian government’s presidential jets, which are on routine maintenance in France. The use and nature of the Presidential jets as assets of a Sovereign entity whose assets are protected by diplomatic immunity forbid any foreign Court from issuing an order against them.
We are convinced the Chinese company misled the Judicial Court of Paris regarding the use and nature of the assets it seeks to attach and did not fully disclose to the court as required by law.
This same Chinese company had tried to enforce its questionable judgment in the UK and USA but failed.
Like the P&ID case, foreign companies are trying to defraud Nigeria with the collaboration of some bureaucrats. Zhongshan appeared to have sold the judgment they got to a venture capitalist seeking to make money by embarrassing the Federal Government and President Bola Tinubu.
We want to assure Nigerians that the Federal Government is working with the Ogun State Government to discharge this frivolous order in Paris immediately.
Nigerian Government will always work to protect our national assets from predators and shylocks who masquerade as investors.
Background to the Zhongshan Fucheng Case:
A contract between Ogun State and Zhongshan to manage a free-trade zone was executed in 2007. The parties entered into a dispute in 2015, and arbitration began in 2016.
By 2019, the arbitration hearing had been concluded. The Arbitral Panel awarded over 60 million USD against the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), a co-defendant, when all Zhongshan had done was build a perimeter fence around the free-trade zone.
Based on legal advice, the Ogun State Government resolved to resist the enforcement of the award. The resistance was successful in 8 different jurisdictions. There are pending appeals against recognition orders issued in both the US and UK.
Ogun State also engaged Zhongshan in settlement discussions on reasonable terms. The last meeting, held in September 2023 in London, lasted for three days and was attended by several officials of Ogun State, including Governor Dapo Abiodun and the Attorney General/Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi.
Zhongshan’s initial reasonable readiness to consider Ogun State’s offer was surprisingly reversed by the second day when it insisted on the government paying the full arbitration debt. This led to a breakdown of the mediation, with parties agreeing to meet again in the first quarter of this year.
Since then, Zhongshan has been evasive. Instead, it embarked on a series of enforcement proceedings, which the legal team appointed by the FGN and Ogun State successfully opposed.
In cases similar to the present one, where Zhongshan obtained an ex-parte order, Ogun State successfully set aside the orders.
Ogun State has not given up on a reasonable settlement option, with the most recent letter sent to Zhongshan last week. Zhongshan only responded after obtaining this latest illegal order.
Investigation
FRSC Corps Marshal Orders Investigation Into Negative Video Of Passenger Dangerously Dragging Steering Wheel To Evade Impoundment Of Vehicle
The Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has taken keen notice of a recent video in the social media space, as well as other publications in the mainstream media; alleging that one of its staff was involved in a physical altercation with a passenger over the steering wheel in the cause of impounding the vehicle of an apprehended traffic offender.
While expressing disappointment and obvious concern over the incident, the Corps Marshal has directed the Sector Commander within whose operational jurisdiction the incident occurred, to carryout extensive investigation and forward the report to the national headquarters within 48 hours.
According to the Corps Marshal, the Federal Road Safety Corps will take the allegation seriously as thorough investigation to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incident have commenced in essence.
From the preliminary investigation report forwarded to the Corps Marshal, the incident happened along Asaba Ogwashi-ukwu route within the Asaba Sector Command general operational area, on 23rd August, 2024.
The vehicle, a Toyota Sienna bus was flagged down for necessary checks by the patrol team after which the driver was found guilty of driving a commercial vehicle without an installed speed limiting device. A traffic offence that necessitates impoundment of the vehicle.
In an attempt to carryout the impoundment, the lady struggling the steering with the driver who was just a passenger in the vehicle refused to come down for the arresting Marshal to sit in front in conformity with standards for vehicles impoundment.
To put the records straight, the public should note that irrespective of the fact that the woman acted in a dangerous kind of way that would have resulted in a crash, the Corps will still go ahead to ensure that rules of engagement remain sacrosanct and if found guilty, the staff involved will face disciplinary action in line with our zero-tolerance policy for misconduct.
Pursuant to that, the Corps wishes to assure the public that because it values the trust and confidence of the public, it will not condone any behaviour that compromises our integrity. In that regard, the Corps will remain committed to providing excellent service, ensuring safety on the road, and upholding the highest standards of conduct among its personnel.
To that effect, the Corps Marshal humbly appeals to the public to continually report any instances of misconduct or unprofessional behaviour by FRSC staff to the Corps through the FRSC Mobile Application or call the 122 for immediate action.
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