‘He Insulted My Father, Even Threatened To Slap Me’ – Tuggar Clarifies Face-off With Gov Bala Mohammed

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has clarified the recent clash with the Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, Auwal Jatau.

Naijaonpoint recalls that in April, reports surfaced online alleging that Jatau slapped Tuggar during a heated altercation.

The incident was said to have occurred during the turbaning ceremony of former Governor of Bauchi State, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, as the Makama Babba I of the Bauchi Emirate.

However, in an interview with BBC Hausa, Tuggar clarified that the altercation was not with the deputy Governor but with the state governor, Senator Bala Mohammed.

Tuggar said the incident occurred inside a vehicle they shared with the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, during his visit to Bauchi, accusing Muhammed of verbally insulting his late father and threatening to slap him.

He said, “We were in the same vehicle with the Vice President when he asked me something. Governor Bala Mohammed, who was sitting nearby, interrupted and started talking, even though the conversation had nothing to do with him.

“He insulted my late father, a man who died more than 20 years ago and even went as far as standing up to say he would slap me. I got up as well to let him know that if we were left alone, I didn’t believe he could do anything to me, let alone slap me.”

According to the minister, things became even more heated when the deputy governor reportedly rushed toward the vehicle, but could not approach him.

Tuggar alleged that some aides or associates of Governor Bala were responsible for the misinformation on social media, claiming that the deputy governor had slapped him.

He added, “After that, his deputy came running toward the vehicle saying he too would slap me, but he didn’t even get close. Don’t forget, the Vice President was right there with us and the security guards there are not that of Bauchi.

“Even the deputy governor, Jatau, knows nothing like that happened. Later, they changed the story to say I wasn’t slapped at all.”