“To Protect Presidential Yacht”: Matawalle Under Fire As He Presents Hi-Tech Water Vessels to Tinubu

“To Protect Presidential Yacht”: Matawalle Under Fire As He Presents Hi-Tech Water Vessels to Tinubu

  • Mixed reactions have greeted the defence minister, Bello Matawalle's recent move in the maritime sector
  • Nigerians took to social media and queried Matawalle for presenting high-tech vessels to President Tinubu
  • While some urged the minister to stand up and do the needful regarding the security challenges bedevilling the country, others wondered if the vessels were to protect the presidential yacht

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

The minister of state for defence, Bello Matawalle, has got Nigerians talking on social media as he presented two hi-tech unmanned water vessels to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Bola Tinubu, USA, water vessels, Matawalle
Matawalle presented two hi-tech unmanned water vessels to President Bola Tinubu. Photo credit: Henshaw Ogubike
Source: Twitter

The vessels, according to Vanguard newspaper, are to help Nigeria in the fight against insecurity on the country's waterways.

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A statement issued on Friday, January 5, from the ministry's spokesman, Henshaw Ogubike, said the "unmanned ships were a donation by Swift Ship Company in the US to the Nigerian government," Channels TV reported.

Nigerians react as Matawalle presents water vessels to Tinubu

However, this did not sit well with some Nigerians who queried the development.

Taking to the comment section on X (formerly Twitter), some Nigerians applauded the minister, and a few others criticised him. Legit.ng captured some of their reactions below.

@CroBender tweeted:

"Is that to protect the presidential yacht because I have not seen any underwater presence in areas where Christians are being massacred on the daily."

@damola_ade77 tweeted:

"These people just keep wasting funds."

@Bulliongstudios tweeted:

"Congratulation. Nice achievement great one my old man."

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@loner524 tweeted:

"Do they really need this?

@Muyieto tweeted:

"Chop money on process... smiles"

@DavidLa02594006 tweeted:

"Anything to protect oil but not humans. When is he presenting unmanned jetfighters to protect the people of the north central?

Tinubu's govt reveals when insecurity in Nigeria will end

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the federal government vowed to end insecurity by 2024.

The government noted that it recognised the security challenges confronting the nation.

The minister of state for defence, Bello Matawalle, stated this in an interview with BBC Hausa, published on Tuesday, December 19.

Nigeria facing all aspects of insecurity - Tinubu

Legit.ng also reported that President Tinubu lamented that Nigeria was currently facing a crisis triggered by mounting insecurity.

According to Tinubu, the country is experiencing kidnapping, banditry, and all other forms of social vices, which are indices of crisis.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Esther Odili avatar

Esther Odili (Politics and Current Affairs Editor) Esther Odili is a journalist and a Politics/Current Affairs Editor at Legit.ng with 6+ years of experience. She Holds OND and HND in Mass Communication from the Nigerian Institue of Journalism (NIJ), where she was recognized as the best student in print journalism in 2018. Before joining Legit.ng, Esther has worked with other reputable media houses, such as the New Telegraph newspaper and Galaxy Television. In 2024, Esther obtained a certificate in advanced digital reporting from the Google News Initiative. Email: esther.odili@corp.legit.ng.