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The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of a Bombardier BD-700 Global 6000 private jet to the Federal Government of Nigeria after finding that its operator failed to pay mandatory customs duties for more than a decade.
Justice James Omotosho delivered the ruling on January 22, 2026, in a suit filed by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) against Orlean Invest Africa Limited, the company operating the aircraft. The judgment, sighted in a certified copy on Tuesday, brings to a close a dispute over the jet’s importation and continued operation in Nigerian airspace since 2015.
The decision reinforces the federal government’s efforts to tighten compliance among private aircraft operators and recover revenue lost through customs violations. Authorities say the case highlights long-standing gaps in enforcement that allowed high-value assets to operate without meeting basic import obligations.
According to the court, the aircraft—valued in the billions of naira—was brought into Nigeria without payment of customs duty or the acquisition of a Temporary Import Permit, both of which are required under Nigerian law.
In his judgment, Justice Omotosho held that the respondents failed to provide any credible justification for why the aircraft should not be forfeited.
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The judge found that the Bombardier Global 6000, bearing Registration Mark 9H-GVG and Manufacturer’s Serial Number 9470, was imported into Nigeria on October 26, 2015, as a non-commercial private jet.
He ruled that the continued presence of the aircraft in Nigeria without customs clearance violated the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, which prescribes seizure and forfeiture as penalties for such infractions under Section 246(a).
“The respondents failed to present any evidence of payment of customs duty,” Justice Omotosho said in his ruling, adding that the omission deprived the federal government of substantial revenue.
He described the conduct as a deliberate attempt to evade lawful customs obligations, noting that compliance requirements were clear even before the enactment of the 2023 law.
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The Nigeria Customs Service told the court that it had assessed the outstanding customs duty liability on the aircraft at ₦1,044,493,295.54, based on applicable rates and valuation standards.
In their defense, the respondents argued that the aircraft was foreign-registered in Malta, listed on the Civil Aviation Register of Malta, and operated under international charter by Elit’Avia Malta Ltd.
They also contended that the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, could not apply retrospectively to an aircraft imported years earlier. The company further relied on clearances issued by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), including Maintenance and Flight Operations Clearance Certificates.
Justice Omotosho dismissed these arguments, holding that Section 280(1)–(4) of the Customs Act preserves obligations that existed under the repealed Customs and Excise Act.
He also relied on an NCAA circular dated January 17, 2017, which explicitly requires all aircraft owners and operators importing aircraft into Nigeria to obtain customs clearance, pay applicable duties, or secure a Temporary Import Permit.
With the court ordering final forfeiture, ownership of the Bombardier Global 6000 now transfers to the Federal Government of Nigeria, subject to enforcement procedures.
Customs authorities say the ruling is expected to serve as a precedent for similar cases involving private jets and luxury assets imported without proper documentation.
