The Nigerian presidency has denied reports that a yacht seen flying the Nigerian flag in St-Tropez, a coastal town in France, belongs to the Nigerian government.
Social media reports had claimed that the yacht was a “presidential yacht” being used for vacation purposes in St-Tropez.
Reacting to these reports, Otega Ogra, the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Digital and New Media, clarified that the yacht is privately owned and not associated with the Nigerian government.
“There have been false claims circulating that a private individual’s yacht spotted in St. Tropez is a Nigerian government yacht. Here are some points to consider in order to discern the truth,” Ogra posted on his X handle.
Ogra explained that the yacht in question, a 42-meter Bennetti yacht, has been privately owned for around five years since it was built. He stressed that there are no connections or ownership ties between this yacht and the Nigerian government, president, or armed forces.
“It is important to note that this specific yacht has no connection or ownership ties to the Nigerian government, president, or armed forces. Any claims or assertions suggesting otherwise are simply not true and inaccurate,” Ogra stated.
He also noted that it is common for luxury yachts to fly the flag of the owner’s country as well as the flag of the country in which they are registered. He further clarified that the official Nigerian flag is Green-White-Green without a coat of arms in the middle.
“The official Nigerian flag is Green-White-Green without a coat of arms in the middle. Flags representing the Nigerian President or the Armed Forces do not contain a coat of arms in the center. Placing anything in the center of the flag is a clear deviation,” Ogra added.
