A moment of tension marred the atmosphere at the Emir’s Palace in Bauchi on Friday as an alleged altercation broke out between the Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, Auwal Jatau, and Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar.
Sources say the Deputy Governor struck the minister during a heated verbal exchange.
The incident reportedly occurred during a high-profile event honouring former Bauchi State Governor, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, who was conferred the traditional title of Makama Babba 1 of Bauchi Emirate. The occasion also coincided with the wedding ceremony of Abubakar’s daughter, Khadija Mohammed.
The event drew several notable dignitaries, including Vice President Kashim Shettima and Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, among others. However, the political gathering turned tense following a disagreement believed to have stemmed from critical comments made by the minister regarding the Bala Mohammed-led administration in Bauchi.
Eyewitnesses revealed that Minister Tuggar made remarks perceived as demeaning to the current state government, prompting an immediate and angry reaction from Deputy Governor Jatau.
“The atmosphere shifted instantly. The Deputy Governor was visibly enraged. It was a scene no one expected at such a formal gathering,” said a source familiar with the incident. “If not for Vice President Shettima’s prompt intervention, it could have spiraled out of control.”
The confrontation is believed to be the latest manifestation of the ongoing political feud between Minister Tuggar and Governor Bala Mohammed. Tuggar, known for his vocal criticism of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led government in Bauchi, has consistently clashed with the administration over policy and political direction.
Earlier in the year, during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Tuggar accused Governor Bala Mohammed of leveraging the federal government’s tax reform policy spearheaded by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a launchpad for his speculated 2027 presidential ambition.
“Governor Bala Mohammed clearly lacks sincerity. He used the tax bill discourse not to serve the people but to boost his future political campaign,” Tuggar had claimed.
In response, the Governor’s Chief of Staff, Aminu Gamawa, dismissed the minister’s accusations as politically motivated and lacking in diplomatic decorum.
“Those comments were not only opportunistic but also unbecoming of someone in such a sensitive national position,” Gamawa said. “Tuggar is more focused on attacking a performing governor than on improving Nigeria’s foreign relations. His political ambitions for 2027 are no secret, but this is not the way to pursue them.”
Gamawa also criticized the minister’s handling of foreign affairs, claiming Nigeria’s international standing particularly within Africa had diminished under his leadership.
As of the time this report was filed, neither the Bauchi State Government nor the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had issued any official statement addressing the reported confrontation.
