“He threatened to slap me but was intimidated by my height” — Tuggar says Bauchi governor behind assault

By Kunle Sanni

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has accused Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed of verbally attacking him and threatening to physically assault him during Vice President Kashim Shettima’s visit to the state last month.

On April 19, Shettima visited Bauchi State for the turbaning ceremony of former Governor Muhammad Abubakar, who was honoured as Makama Babba 1 of the Bauchi Emirate, as well as for the wedding of Fatiha, the daughter of Abubakar’s daughter, Khadija Muhammad. Tuggar, also from Bauchi State, was part of Shettima’s entourage.

However, rumours circulated on social media that Bauchi’s Deputy Governor, Auwal Jatau, attempted to slap the minister, which caused wild controversy.

In an interview with BBC Hausa on Thursday, Tuggar clarified that it was not Deputy Governor Jatau but Governor Mohammed who had threatened to slap him.

The minister recalled a tense moment in a bus with the Vice President and Governor Mohammed, during which the governor unprovokedly insulted his long-deceased father and threatened him physically.

“He insulted my father, who passed away over 20 years ago, and even threatened to slap me,” Tuggar recounted. “But I stood up, and he seemed intimidated by my height. How could he even think of raising his hands to do that?”

Tuggar said the confrontation began while he was speaking with the Vice President, and the governor abruptly interrupted with personal insults. He added that the Deputy Governor, who was sitting behind him, attempted to approach during the altercation but was stopped by security officials from Abuja and the presence of the Vice President.

The Minister also drew concerns over land management practices in Bauchi State, accusing the state government of improperly allocating farmlands and grazing areas in rural communities, including his own, to private companies under questionable circumstances.