Pat Stevens/
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has exchanged sharp words with British broadcaster, Piers Morgan, following a tense appearance on Piers Morgan Uncensored, where both men clashed over allegations of religious persecution in Nigeria.
Tuggar, who featured on the November 13 edition of the programme, said he used the platform to present what he described as factual, contextual and data-driven explanations countering claims of widespread Christian genocide in Nigeria.
He argued that much of the violence in the country stemmed from criminality and banditry affecting people of all faiths, insisting that Nigeria’s situation must not be “distorted to fit external biases”.
In a post on X, the Minister stressed that the entire interview should be broadcast exactly as recorded, cautioning against “edits or selective omissions”.
He added that his evidence-based position may not align with “preconceived views” held by some critics abroad.
Morgan responded publicly, suggesting the Minister was “panicking”, but assured him that his comments would be aired in full, adding, “Whether people believe what you said remains to be seen.”
Tuggar fired back, remarking that he was “as cool as a cucumber” and teasing Morgan over a reported slip in which the presenter repeatedly referred to “Chibok Boys” instead of the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped in 2014.
“Just want to make sure you don’t edit out the parts where you kept referring to the ‘Chibok Boys’,” Tuggar wrote.
The exchange has triggered widespread debate online, with many social media users weighing in on both the substance of the interview and the testy back-and-forth between the pair.
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