The Nigerian presidency has dismissed claims that a yacht spotted in the French town of St. Tropez belongs to President Bola Tinubu. Recent social media reports speculated that a luxury yacht, allegedly flying the Nigerian flag, was being used by the president for a vacation.
In response to these claims, Otega Ogra, a media aide to President Tinubu, clarified the situation through a statement on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account. Ogra asserted that the yacht in question is owned by a private individual and not by President Tinubu or the Nigerian Navy.
Ogra explained that the flag displayed on the yacht does not conform to official Nigerian standards.
“The yacht belongs to a private individual and not President Tinubu or the Nigerian Navy,” he stated.
He emphasized that the flags used by the Nigerian president or the armed forces do not feature a coat of arms, which is present on the yacht’s flag.
Ogra added, “The official Nigerian flag is Green-White-Green and does not include 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 from the standard.”
Ogra also noted that it is common for luxury yachts to display the flag of their owner’s country as well as the flag of the country where the yacht is registered. This practice helps identify the yacht’s origin but does not imply ownership by any government official or entity.