Tuggar, Ex-Canadian
A heated exchange unfolded on Piers Morgan’s programme as Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, and former Canadian lawmaker Goldie Ghamari sparred over claims of widespread persecution of Christians in Nigeria.
During the broadcast, Morgan referenced figures from the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), which alleged that more than 50,000 Christians have been killed and 18,000 churches destroyed since 2009.
Tuggar strongly dismissed the statistics, insisting they were inaccurate and not reflective of Nigeria’s security realities. He emphasized that the government does not classify victims by religion, stressing that all affected citizens are regarded simply as Nigerians. When Morgan pressed for official numbers, Tuggar stated that 177 Christians had been killed and 102 churches attacked in the last five years.
The tension heightened when Ghamari joined the conversation. She claimed that the security crisis in Nigeria amounts to a jihad and even linked it to the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. She further suggested that the religious identities of President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima signaled an enabling Islamist administration.
Ghamari also alleged connections between Nigeria’s leadership and Iran, claiming Nigerian schoolchildren were seen holding images of Iran’s Supreme Leader. She accused Tuggar of concealing the truth, saying: “Shame on him for lying.”
Tuggar fired back, dismissing her remarks as baseless and accusing her of trivialising Nigeria’s complex security challenges from afar. He noted that Nigerians value regional and political balance above religion, highlighting that the president is from the south while the vice-president is from the north.
Asked whether he condemns attacks on Christians by extremist groups, Tuggar affirmed that he does and even referenced a personal tragedy.
Ghamari, however, maintained her stance, arguing that acknowledging attacks on Muslims “does not negate the targeted ethnic cleansing of Christians.”
This prompted an even sharper response from Tuggar, who accused her of fueling conflicts without understanding Nigeria’s diverse ethnic realities.
“People like her start wars from their armchairs in faraway places,” he said. He warned that such narratives threaten unity, comparing them to tactics that contributed to Sudan’s fragmentation. Tuggar added that these efforts aim to weaken Nigeria because of its status as Africa’s largest democracy.
“It’s not going to happen to Nigeria,” he said. “Move on to your next project. You’re a disgrace.”
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If you want, I can shorten this, rewrite it for radio scripts, or format it for Newsday Reporter style.
