By Micah Jonah, January 28, 2026
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the permanent forfeiture of a Bombardier BD-700 Global 6000 private jet, operated by Orlean Invest Africa Limited, to the Nigerian government over unpaid customs duty dating back to its importation in 2015.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice James Omotosho held that the respondents failed to provide any evidence that customs duties had been paid or a Temporary Import Permit obtained, in violation of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023. The court noted that Section 246(a) of the Act mandates seizure and forfeiture as the penalty for such violations.
The jet, bearing Registration Mark 9H-GVG and Manufacturer’s Serial Number 9470, was imported as a non-commercial private aircraft on 26 October 2015. The Nigeria Customs Service had assessed the outstanding duty liability at over N1 billion (N1,044,493,295.54).
Justice Omotosho described the failure to pay duty as a deliberate attempt to cheat the government of revenue lawfully due, emphasizing that the respondents had not justified why the aircraft should not be forfeited.
The owners argued that the aircraft was foreign-registered in Malta and operated under international charter, citing clearances from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority. The court, however, dismissed these claims, highlighting that Section 280 of the Customs Service Act preserves obligations under previous legislation and mandates compliance with customs duties for aircraft entering Nigeria.
The case followed a 2024 audit by the Nigeria Customs Service, which revealed widespread non-compliance among private aircraft operators. An interim seizure was ordered in June 2025, culminating in this final ruling.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria Okon Efut, representing the NCS, praised the judgment, describing it as a groundbreaking enforcement of compliance and a significant victory for government revenue laws.
