The presidency has disowned a yacht spotted with the
Nigerian flag in St-Tropez, a coastal town in France.
Reports of a “presidential yacht belonging to the Nigerian
government being used for vacation at St Tropez” have since gone viral on
social media.
Reacting to the claim via a post on X, Otega Ogra, senior
special assistant to President Bola Tinubu on digital and new media, said the
yacht belongs to a private individual.
The presidential aide said flags used by the president or
armed forces do not contain the coat of arms like the one on the yacht.
“There have been
false claims circulating that a private individual’s yacht was spotted in St.
Tropez is a Nigerian government yacht. Here are some points to consider in
order to discern the truth,” Ogra said on Saturday.
“The 42m Bennetti yacht currently being shared online has
been privately owned for around 5 years since it was constructed.
“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.
“It is not uncommon
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.
“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.”
DEBUNKING FALSE NEWS: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:1. The 42m Bennetti yacht currently being share online has been…— O’tega Ogra (@otegaogra) September 7, 2024
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