President Bola Tinubu has departed Abuja for a working visit to China, with a brief layover in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, the President will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and hold meetings with Chinese business leaders on the sidelines of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.
Senior government officials are accompanying the President on the trip, which comes amid a recent controversy involving the seizure of Nigerian assets by a Chinese firm, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited. A French court recently ruled in favor of the firm, granting the seizure of presidential jets belonging to the Nigerian government.
The official visit aims to strengthen diplomatic ties and economic cooperation between Nigeria and China. However, the timing of the trip has raised questions about the President’s response to the ongoing asset seizure issue.