
Former governor of Ogun State, Senator lbikunle Amosun, has opened up on his role in the dispute between the state and the Chinese firm, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Ltd that led to the seizure of three Nigeria presidential jets in France.
GWG.ng reports that the three planes were seized upon court orders arising from the arbitration of the cancelled contract for the maintenance of the Ogun State Free Trade Zone, OGFTZA.

Senator Amosun was the governor of the state between 2011 and 2019 when the dispute with the Chinese firm arose.

Explaining the role he played in a statement personally signed by him on Saturday, Amosun said he was ready to work with the government to ensure that Nigeria is not scammed by the Chinese firm or any other entity.

The statement, titled, ‘Zhongfu firm is an impostor, it’s Chinese against Chinese dispute’ Amosun said: “Our administration assumed office on 29 May, 2011. Very shortly after we took office, two different sets of Chinese companies, Messrs China Africa Investment FXE and Zhongfu International Investment FXE laid claims to Management rights over the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone (OGFTZ).
“The business dispute and rivalry between the Chinese concerns soon became fierce, grounded seamless business activities and threatened public peace and safety within the Zone and neighboring communities.
“There were claims and counter claims as to who between the two was the lawful representative of the original joint venturer, Guangdong Province, China and consequentially who had the right to manage the Zone.
“Zhongfu International Investment FXE, pretending to be a concerned and genuine tenant and Zone stakeholder volunteered very damaging and destructive information about the official representatives of Guangdong Province, the Joint Venturer and lawful Zone Managers, China Africa Investment FXE and subsequently requested to be appointed as Interim Zone Managers.
“Based on the information at the disposal of Government at the time, Zhongfu International Investment FXE was on 15/03/2012 appointed as Interim Zone Manager pending further evaluation. The whole idea was to ensure that someone was in charge and thereby prevent unwholesome and untoward development in the Zone pending the completion of our fact finding exercise.

“It was later discovered that the information and claims volunteered by Zhongfu International Investment FXE against China Africa Investment FXE were tissues of lies.
“Unknown to Ogun Government at the time, Zhongfu International Investment FXE merely sought to de-market China Africa Investment FXE and to surreptitiously covert the State-owned assets of Guangdong Province in China together with the Zone ownership and management rights of their business rival.
“It was further discovered – much later – through the intervention of the Chinese Government via Diplomatic Note 1601, dated 11 March, 2016.
“The Government of the People’s Republic of China, via its Diplomatic Note 1601 dated 11th March, 2016 clarified to the Ogun State Government, that China Africa Investment FXE was the rightful investor. After due consultation with the relevant organs of Government, we gave effect to the request of the Chinese Government.
“We do recall that Zhongfu International Investment FXE approached Nigerian courts in different jurisdictions to ventilate its legal and business rights. They lost all their four cases in court.”
It continued: “We also consulted with and took advice from the State Security Services and the supervising Agency, NEPZA, on the best way to proceed. Accordingly, we served Zhongfu International Investment FXE with formal Termination Notice dated 27 May, 2016.
“For completeness of records, we must mention that Zhongfu International Investment FXE proceeded to Court.
“Among others, the proceedings in Suit No HCT/417/2016: Zhongfu Internati