Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has addressed the controversy surrounding an alleged altercation involving him, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, and Deputy Governor Muhammad Auwal Jatau, during Vice-President Kashim Shettima’s recent visit to the state.
The incident, which occurred on April 19 during the Vice President’s official engagement in Bauchi, sparked social media uproar after reports claimed that Deputy Governor Jatau slapped the minister while they rode in a vehicle from Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa International Airport to the Emir of Bauchi’s palace.
However, speaking in an exclusive interview with BBC Hausa, Minister Tuggar firmly denied being physically assaulted. He clarified that the dispute actually began with Governor Bala Mohammed and not his deputy, as widely reported.
“We were all in the same vehicle accompanying the Vice President,” Tuggar recounted. “The Vice President was speaking to me when the governor, who was seated beside him, suddenly interjected in a discussion that didn’t involve him. He insulted my late father — who passed away over two decades ago — and even threatened to slap me.”
Tuggar stated that he stood up to defend himself after the governor’s threat, stressing that Bala Mohammed could never have had any physical advantage over him.
“The Deputy Governor then jumped from the back seat, saying he would also slap me,” the minister revealed. “But he never got close to me, especially since the Vice President was right there in the vehicle. No one laid a hand on me.”
He accused the governor’s son of fueling the false narrative online, claiming that Jatau had physically attacked him. “Even Jatau eventually admitted the story wasn’t true and began changing the version he was telling people,” Tuggar said.
On whether the clash was politically motivated due to his speculated interest in the 2027 Bauchi governorship race, Tuggar refused to confirm or deny. However, he did criticize the current state of governance in Bauchi, lamenting the misuse of land meant for farmers and herders.
“Companies are taking over farmlands and grazing areas under the guise of agriculture, only to use them to access loans,” he said. “If that’s the case, why hasn’t Bauchi become a leading state in food or livestock production?”
Tuggar and Deputy Governor Jatau both hail from Bauchi North Senatorial District, the only zone in the state yet to produce a governor since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999. While Tuggar has not formally declared his ambition, political observers believe the fallout may be tied to early tensions ahead of the 2027 elections.
The incident has further exposed the growing cracks in the Bauchi political landscape, raising questions about alliances, rivalries, and the future direction of leadership in the state.