Yacht spotted in France with Nigerian flag not for govt — Presidency
By Jeffrey Agbo
The Presidency has dissociated itself from a yacht spotted with the Nigerian flag in St-Tropez, a coastal town in France.
It was alleged on social media that the yacht belonged to the Nigerian government but was being used for vacation.
Former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Chidi Odinkalu, commented on it via X. “In St. Tropez, the crested #GreenWhiteGreen flutters aloft the #YachtForTheAges. At home, it is treason to even see it; say so or tell anyone,” he wrote.
In reaction on Saturday, Otega Ogra, Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Digital and New Media, said on X that the yacht belongs to a private individual.
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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.
He wrote, “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.
“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.”