President Bola Tinubu has departed Abuja for France, embarking on his fourth visit to the European country since assuming office. The President’s Airbus A330 business jet, which had been the subject of an international legal dispute, lifted off from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at 4:08 p.m. on Monday.
According to sources, the aircraft landed in Abuja on Sunday evening after a nearly five-hour flight from EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg in France. “The plane arrived yesterday, and the President will be using it to travel to France today,” a Presidency official disclosed.
The journey comes amid reports that the aircraft, valued at $100 million (₦150 billion), had been seized by a French court alongside two other presidential jets over a dispute between the Ogun State Government and Chinese firm Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited.
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However, on August 16, Zhongshan announced the release of the aircraft as a gesture of goodwill, citing the importance of the plane for a scheduled diplomatic engagement between President Tinubu and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Although the Presidency has not disclosed the purpose or duration of the trip, a statement by Tinubu’s spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, confirmed the President would return to Nigeria following a “brief work stay” in France.
This marks Tinubu’s 23rd international trip since taking office 15 months ago. He has previously visited countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Germany, and India.
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The recently released jet is equipped with luxurious features, including a bedroom, office space, conference room, and dining area, making it an ideal choice for presidential travel. This trip marks the maiden voyage of the jet with President Tinubu on board.
The visit to France also precedes President Tinubu’s scheduled participation in the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing from September 3–8, 2024.