Hopefully the rest of the third world is paying attention. Chinese company was contracted to build a free trade zone, did limited work, and Nigeria cancelled contract. Courts ruled that Nigeria owed millions, they refused, Chinese company now seizing assets Chinese company seizes Nigerian jets in international dispute (msn.com) Western courts debated the case in 2007, with the Chinese company Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Ltd and the authorities of Ogun State in Nigeria as the parties. The Chinese were supposed to create a free trade zone in Ogun State, but according to Nigerians, by 2015, they had only fenced the area. The state authorities then terminated the contract, and the Chinese, who claimed their work was much more than just putting up a fence, began a battle for compensation in international arbitration courts. Courts in the United Kingdom, the USA, and France ruled that Nigeria should pay $74.5 million. Nigeria refused to pay. On Thursday, Zhongshan obtained a French court order allowing them to seize Nigerian assets, including presidential jets undergoing inspections in France and Switzerland. ................................................. In Thursday's statement, the president's spokesman explained that the federal government had no business relations with or signed agreements with the company. He added that "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." On Friday, it turned out that it was not the end of the federal government's troubles, as a US court allowed Zhongshan to seize two properties belonging to the Nigerian government located in the United States.
