By Divine Sam
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has opened up about a recent altercation involving Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, and his deputy, Muhammad Auwal Jatau, during Vice President Kashim Shettima’s visit to Bauchi on April 19, 2025.
Amid social media buzz suggesting Deputy Governor Jatau slapped the minister during a ride from the Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa International Airport to the Emir of Bauchi’s palace, Tuggar has refuted the claims. Jatau has also denied the allegation.
Speaking in an interview with BBC Hausa, Tuggar clarified that the misunderstanding originated from Governor Mohammed, not Jatau.
“We were in the vehicle accompanying the Vice President when the governor interrupted a private conversation between me and the VP. He insulted my late father, who died over two decades ago, and even threatened to slap me,” Tuggar said.
The minister said he stood up in defense after the governor’s remarks. He further stated that Deputy Governor Jatau attempted to confront him but was unable to get close due to the Vice President’s presence in the same vehicle.
“There was no physical confrontation,” Tuggar emphasized, debunking online claims that he was slapped.
Tuggar also alleged that the governor’s son circulated the false narrative on social media. “The Deputy Governor later backtracked on the claim, admitting it wasn’t true and began pushing another version of the story,” he added.