Court Orders Forfeiture of Private Jet Over Unpaid N1.04bn Customs Duty

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of a Bombardier BD-700 Global 6000 private jet to the Federal Government following the non-payment of N1.04 billion in customs duty since the aircraft’s importation.

The jet, operated by Orlean Invest Africa Limited, was seized after an audit by the Nigeria Customs Service uncovered violations related to import documentation and duty compliance among private aircraft operating in Nigerian airspace.

In his ruling, Justice James Omotosho held that the operators failed to justify why the aircraft should not be forfeited, noting that the jet was imported into Nigeria in 2015 as a non-commercial private aircraft without payment of customs duty or the required Temporary Import Permit.

The court found that the failure to comply with customs requirements violated applicable laws, which prescribe seizure and forfeiture for such breaches. It added that the respondents provided no evidence of duty payment and deprived the government of significant revenue.

Arguments by the operators that the aircraft was foreign-registered and operated under international charter arrangements were dismissed. The court ruled that obligations under Nigeria’s customs laws applied regardless of registration status and referenced regulatory directives requiring all aircraft owners importing into Nigeria to obtain customs clearance, pay duties, or secure valid temporary permits with undertakings to re-export.

The case followed a nationwide verification exercise conducted by customs authorities to identify private aircraft imported without proper permits. In its final judgment, the court ordered the permanent forfeiture of the jet to the Federal Government, describing the ruling as a significant enforcement milestone in strengthening compliance within Nigeria’s private aviation sector.