Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Ltd, a Chinese firm, says it is ready for a resolution of its dispute with Nigeria. 

A Paris court recently ordered the seizure of Nigeria’s assets — including three aircraft — over the contract dispute.

The court ruled that the Chinese firm should use Nigeria’s jets at the Paris-Le Bourget and Basel-Mulhouse international airports “as security for its claim of EUR 74,459,221”.

BACKGROUND

In 2010, Zhongshan, through Zhuhai Zhongfu Industrial Group Co. Ltd. (Zhuhai), its Chinese parent company, acquired rights to develop a free trade zone in Ogun state.

A year later, Zhongshan set up Zhongfu International Investment (NIG) FZE (Zhongfu), a Nigerian entity, to manage the project with the permission of the Ogun state government.

However, things took a different turn in July 2016 when the investor accused the state government of abruptly moving to terminate its appointment while attempting to install a new manager for the free trade zone.

Subsequently, Zhongfu initiated an investment treaty arbitration against Nigeria under the bilateral investment treaty between the People’s Republic of China and Nigeria (the China-Nigeria BIT).

The arbitrators had ruled that Nigeria was in breach of its obligations under the China-Nigeria BIT and awarded Zhongshan a compensation of around $70 million.

In January 2022, the Chinese company initiated a case to seek enforcement of the arbitration award.

Nigeria pleaded state immunity but was turned away by Sara Cockerill, a high court judge in the UK, who said the country abused the time frame for appealing arbitral awards.

On August 9, a US appellant court affirmed the judgment of the US district court for the District of Columbia, that held that the arbitration award is enforceable.

The court rejected Nigeria’s sovereign immunity defence.

‘READY TO SETTLE THIS CASE’

On Thursday, the presidency accused the Chinese firm of deploying “unorthodox and subterfuge” means in a bid to seize the assets.

Refuting the allegations in a statement sent to Premium Times, Zhongshan said it has only ever sought to assert its rights under international law and is confident in its case.

“The independent arbitral panel was found unanimously in its favour, and courts in multiple countries have upheld the view that the panel’s compensation should be enforced. The French court was fully aware of the facts when it reached its decision,” the firm said.

“Far from being just a fence, the Ogun Free Trade Zone was featured as a significant international investment by the Economist Intelligence Unit.

“Zhongshan has for a long time been ready to enter serious negotiations with the federal government of Nigeria to settle this case and still awaits an indication that the government is equally willing.”

A lawyer and human rights activist, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, on Friday, described Nigeria’s sovereignty as under threat following a report of the seizure of Nigeria’s three presidential jets in France.

Ejiofor spoke while commenting on the issues surrounding the report of the seizure of Nigeria’s presidential jet in Paris.

It was his view that; “We are no longer under any form of illusion that Nigeria’s sovereignty is under serious threat amid mountain debt concerns. unfortunately, Nigerians are not paying commensurate attention to this impending disaster.

“On August 15, 2024, three presidential aircraft undergoing maintenance in Paris were temporarily seized in strict compliance with a court order.
What an international disgrace!”

“The unfortunate reality is that with the Nigerian government’s growing habit of excessive and reckless borrowing, it is increasingly likely that we may one day wake up to find Nigeria’s assets and the entire Nigerians tied to foreign judgments. It is only a matter of time,”he said.

Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has reacted to the claim of his Igbo paternity, declaring that such insinuation made him laugh.

The disclosure came even as the former President said he doesn’t believe anybody in Nigeria should be driven away from any part of the country, declaring that, “we own this country together.”

Obasanjo made this known when he received in audience the leadership of Ndigbo Amaka Progressive Market Association, an umbrella body of major markets in Lagos State held at the boardroom of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) Abeokuta, Ogun State.

In a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, Obasanjo who did not speak much further on the paternity claim issue, simply says, “it just makes me laugh.”

Speaking on the meeting, the former President said the leadership of the group reached out to him to support the establishment of the Owerri Central Market positioned to be the best of its kind in the country.

He acknowledged that the Central Market Owerri had been contemplated since the creation of Imo state, adding that for one reason or the other, it has not been implemented, “but, I am glad it is coming up again and I hope this time, we are all going to make it real. It is going to be big, the first of its kind.

“And, I am happy also that the governor is showing the desired interest and understanding. And, I am confident that the Owerri Central Market will be, as he expressed the desire to lead the marketing team for the market.

Obasanjo said he doesn’t believe anybody in Nigeria should be driven away from any part of the country asserting that, “we own this country together “

“Having ensured that the Yorubas, Igbos and Hausas all came together to fight the war of unity in Nigeria, and “not to fight Igbos to go, but to come. So if anybody says to me, that somebody should leave any place, he will be the one to leave.”

In his remarks, the group’s spokesperson Chief Emeka Dallas Emmanuel who read a letter jointly signed by Comrade Chinedu Ukatu and Evangelist Iwuchukwu Ezenwafor said the market will be a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship assuring the group’s determination to play its role to the growth of the market and the nation.

He further sought the help of the former President towards the actualization of the international market capable of taking a vast majority off the streets.

Emmanuel added that the assistance of the former president will go a long way in helping their members to obtain loans to purchase shops and spaces at the market.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the direct deduction from the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of government agencies to be reduced from 50% to 20%.

The move is part of efforts to ease the financial burden on the government agencies and encourage financial autonomy.

Based on the fresh directive, the leaders of several unions in the aviation sector, who had earlier threatened to embark on a strike, have opened discussions with the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to deliberate on their stance and the implications of this policy change.

The outcome of these discussions could have significant ramifications for the operational and financial strategies of affected agencies across the nation.

Details later…

A 36-year-old woman, Natalie Harris has been sentenced to 4 years imprisonment for engaging in s3xual intercourse with two 13-year-olds in her son's bedroom while he was at school.

The woman started sending s3xual messages to one of the schoolboys on Snapchat before inviting them both to her address.

In a 'total disregard of any moral compass', the mother-of-six developed an 'obsession for s3x with young boys' and wanted 'attention' after a break-up, a court heard.

She was arrested after a video of the thr33some filmed by one of the boys was circulated around their school.

Harris, from Waterlooville, Hampshire, wept in the dock on Thursday as she was jailed for four years, having admitted four counts of engaging in s3xual activity with a child.

A mother of one of the 13-year-old boys told Portsmouth Crown Court that Harris 'has taken away his childhood'.

Prosecutor Matthew Lawson said both boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were 13 at the time of the incident which took place in Waterlooville, near Portsmouth, in November 2022.

Mr Lawson told Portsmouth Crown Court: 'The case came to light in January of last year.

'There was a video that had been circulating around the school both boys attended.

'The police got a call from a concerned parent which showed an adult female engaging in s3xual activity with a boy.'

The court heard the two boys initially denied involvement before one of them eventually told their mother.

Mr Lawson said Harris was identified as the woman in the video via her distinctive hand tattoos.

Her mobile phone was seized by police and a 'thread of messages' between her and one of the boys was found - who she had saved in her contacts as Rachel.

It was heard she told him he 'shouldn't tell anyone' as she could go to prison.

Telling the court how the boy came forward to tell his mum he had been the one who took the video, Mr Lawson said: 'He said in November 2022, around the time of the World Cup, the defendant had started to message him on Snapchat and by text.

'He said the messages became s3xual and invited both boys to go to her house.

'It was clear to both boys they were going there for s3x.'

The court heard that when they arrived at the address, Harris took them to her son's bedroom, where they had s3x for roughly 40 minutes and left before her own boy was due to return from school.

She was arrested and initially claimed 'no knowledge' of who the woman was in the video.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, the mother of the boy who came forward said she had seen her son 'fade away' as a result of the 'awful nightmare'.

She added her 'poor boy' has lost interest in several hobbies and now stays indoors as a result.

'My heart just breaks, I couldn't have imagined this happening to my son - he is a child,' she said.

'Natalie has completely turned our family upside down.

'The worst thing about all of this is she has taken away his childhood and I will never forgive her.

'He will never get back the childhood that has been taken from him. This will stay with us now for the rest of our lives.'

Harris, who has since been diagnosed with bipolar and multiple personality disorder - was suffering from a 'manic episode', it was heard.

In mitigation, criminal barrister Berenice Mulvanny said Harris was 'deeply remorseful' and 'devastated' about her behaviour.

She said it had been 'triggered' by a break-up with a partner.

On Harris' split with her partner, Judge Sarah Munro KC said: 'You reacted to his departure dramatically.

'In your behaviour, you became extremely promiscuous.'

She said a 'dramatic change' was noted in Harris's mood which included 'an obsession in you for sex with young boys'.

'The boy described how you started to send him messages and invited him to your home,' she said. 'You took them to your son's bedroom and engaged in s3xual activity with both boys.

'They left because it was time for your son to come home from school.'

On the boy who reported the incident, she said: 'The impact upon him has been dreadful. He feels guilty about what happened. You have clearly turned that family upside down and taken his childhood away from him.'

Sentencing her, she continued: 'No sentence I can pass can give him his childhood back or undo the damage you have done to him.'

The judge said the trigger for the 'manic episode' which resulted in 'erratic behaviour' was her split with her partner.

'You felt unloved and you began to act in a way to get attention,' she added. 'In your desire for attention, you gave no consideration on the long-term detrimental impact on these young boys.

'There was significant planning and grooming behaviour used by you, a serious abuse of trust and a very significant disparity in age.'

She added there had been a 'total disregard of any moral compass' and jailed her for four years.

Harris was also made the subject of a ten-year restraining order and a S3xual Harm Prevention Order of the same length.

Gunmen have kidnapped over 20 medical and dental students and a House Officer in Benue State.

The students were en route to the Federation of Catholic Medical and Dental Students (FECAMDS) annual convention in Enugu.

The students, said to be from the University of Maiduguri and University of Jos, were traveling together when they were ambushed by gunmen around 5:30 p.m. in the Otukpo area of the state.

The spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, SP Catherine Anene, who confirmed the incident, said an investigation had been launched into the abduction.

“Yes, the report of kidnapping is true. The report was received around 5:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., and an investigation is ongoing.”

The Federal Government has appealed to aviation unions to shelve their plans for a strike over the deduction of 50  per cent of the internal revenue of aviation agencies. 

In a memo dated August 14, the unions comprising the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), and the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation Civil Service Technical and Recreation Services Employees (AUPCTRE) had threatened to strike.

But the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo has appealed to them to shelve the planned strike.

Keyamo in a statement he signed on Friday, assured the workers’ unions and other stakeholders in the sector that President Bola Tinubu is “very concerned about the improvement of the Aviation sector and will give their demands due consideration with the goal of finding a lasting solution that balances both the fiscal needs of the government and the operational requirements of the Aviation Agencies”.

“We appeal to all workers to remain calm and maintain industrial peace while the Government is working assiduously towards amicably resolving the matter. The Ministry appreciates their patience and understanding and remains committed to ensuring a conducive work environment for all,” Keyamo said

READ PRESS STATEMENT BELOW

Friday, 16th August, 2024
​​
Press Statement by the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Regarding the Call to Action by Aviation Unions over the Deduction of 50% of the Internal Revenue of Aviation Agencies

​The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development has been made aware of the call to action by the workers’ unions within the aviation sector to protest the Federal Government’s deduction of 50% of all internally generated revenue of Aviation Agencies at source. The concerns of the workers, especially regarding the negative impact these deductions have on investment, maintenance of critical infrastructure, and overall operations of the Agencies, have been duly noted.

 

2. ​We understand the significance of the issues raised and recognize the vital role that our aviation workforce plays in ensuring the safety, efficiency, and smooth operation of the industry. The Ministry is committed to addressing these challenges in a manner that ensures the continued viability and sustainability of the sector while maintaining the highest standards of service delivery.

3. ​The Honourable Minister wishes to assure the workers’ Unions and other stakeholders that His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is very concerned about improvement of the Aviation sector and will give their demands due consideration with the goal of finding a lasting solution that balances both the fiscal needs of the government and the operational requirements of the Aviation Agencies.

4. ​We appeal to all workers to remain calm and maintain industrial peace while the Government is working assiduously towards amicably resolving the matter. The Ministry appreciates their patience and understanding and remains committed to ensuring a conducive work environment for all.

5. ​We thank the workers for their understanding and continued dedication to the aviation sector.

 

 

Thank you,

Festus Keyamo SAN, CON, FCIArb (UK)
Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development.
Federal Republic of Nigeria

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says three drug kingpins and 16 other offenders have been convicted and sentenced to a total of 302 years in prison.

NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Friday, said they were sentenced for trafficking and dealing in illicit drugs.

They were convicted for trafficking cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, cannabis, and opioids among others.

To Babafemi, the 19 convicts lead the list of 414 drug traffickers and dealers convicted by the Federal High Court across Benue, Bauchi, Edo, Lagos, Ogun, Gombe, and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, between July 1st and 31st, 2024, following charges brought against them by the NDLEA.

“Three drug kingpins and 16 other offenders have been convicted and sentenced to a total of Three Hundred and Two years in prison for trafficking and dealing in illicit drugs such as cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, cannabis, and opioids following their arrest and diligent prosecution by the NDLEA,” he said.

“The 19 convicts top the list of 414 drug traffickers and dealers convicted by the Federal High Court in Benue, Bauchi, Edo, Lagos, Ogun, Gombe, and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Abuja between July 1st – 31st, 2024, based on charges filed against them by the anti-narcotics agency.”

One of the three kingpins, a 50-year-old Bolanle Dauda, was arrested during an intelligence-led raid by operatives of a special operation unit in NDLEA at Ibiye, along Lagos-Badagry Expressway while attempting to cross the land border to deliver the consignment in Ghana on May 25, 2024.

He was subsequently arraigned before Hon. Justice Ambrose Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Lagos in charge number FHC/L/537C/2024.

“At the point of his arrest, 42 blocks of cocaine weighing 47.5 kilograms were found on him. A swift follow-up operation in his residence at Plot 24/25 OPIC extension, Petedo road, Agbara, Ogun state, led to the recovery of an additional eight blocks of the same drug weighing 10kg, bringing the total weight of the cocaine seized from him to 57.5 kilograms,” Babafemi said.