According to reports, President Bola Tinubu’s newly acquired N150 billion Airbus A330 presidential jet has just touched down at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
Chattvnews has learned that the aircraft landed at the airport on Sunday evening, following its departure from Euro Airport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg in France at 4:16 pm. The jet arrived in Abuja at 8:29 pm.
President Tinubu is scheduled to embark on a trip to France on Monday, August 19, departing from Abuja. He will return to Nigeria after a brief working visit to France, according to a statement issued by Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity, on Sunday.
The President will be traveling on the newly acquired luxury Airbus A330, which was one of three presidential jets recently released by a French court in favor of a Chinese company due to a dispute involving the Ogun State Government.
SaharaReporters previously disclosed that Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited announced the release of one of the three presidential aircraft belonging to Nigeria, which had been detained in France. The Chinese company described the release as a gesture of goodwill, noting the importance of the aircraft for an upcoming diplomatic meeting between President Tinubu and French President Emmanuel Macron.
The Chinese firm emphasized the significance of the aircraft for the diplomatic engagement and ensured its availability to facilitate the meeting.
In July, SaharaReporters reported that the aircraft, an ACJ330-200 with tail registration VP-CAC (msn 1053), was in France and had reached an advanced stage of preparation. The plane features a bedroom with an en-suite bathroom, an office, a conference and dining room, and first-class and economy seating at the rear.
SaharaReporters also revealed in June that the Nigerian government planned to spend over N150 billion on a new presidential jet, a decision that sparked controversy amid the nation’s economic challenges and record inflation. The Airbus A330, previously owned by a German bank following a default on a loan by an Arab prince, was acquired to provide top-end luxury, comfort, and efficiency for VIP and private markets.
On Friday, Omoyele Sowore, the convener of the #RevolutionNow movement, claimed that the reported seizure of Nigeria’s presidential jets by the Chinese company was staged. The former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress expressed doubts about the release of one of the three jets, questioning why the Chinese company was selectively allowing President Tinubu to use a specific jet for his trip from Abuja to France. He suggested in a post on his X account that the events might have been orchestrated to garner sympathy for the new presidential jet.
By Ebubedike Ochu
