Presidency denies links to yacht flying Nigerian flag in France

The Presidency has distanced itself from a viral video showing a yacht flying the Nigerian flag in St. Tropez, a coastal town in France.

The video, which sparked widespread reactions on social media, prompted an official response from the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Digital and New Media, Otega Ogra.

Ogra, addressing the matter on his X (formerly Twitter) page on Saturday, clarified that the yacht in question is privately owned and has no connection to the Nigerian government or President.

“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 wrote.

He explained that the 42-metre Benetti yacht has been in private ownership for the past five years since its construction, further noting that it is common for luxury yachts to fly the flag of both the owner’s country and the country of registration.

Ogra emphasised that the official Nigerian flag is a simple Green-White-Green design without a coat of arms, contrary to what was seen on the yacht.

He pointed out that flags used by the President or the Armed Forces do not contain any symbols in the centre.

“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 centre.

“Placing anything in the centre of the flag is a clear deviation,” he stressed.

Ogra concluded by urging the public to disregard any misinformation linking the yacht to the Nigerian government or President Bola Tinubu.

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