Nigeria's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has refuted reports of a physical altercation between him and the Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, Auwal Jatau, clarifying that the incident involved Governor Bala Mohammed instead.

In an interview with BBC Hausa, Tuggar revealed that Governor Mohammed verbally insulted him and threatened to slap him during Vice President Kashim Shettima's recent visit to Bauchi State.

"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," Tuggar explained.

According to the minister, the situation escalated when the governor allegedly began insulting his late father. "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," he said.

Tuggar stated that he stood up in response to the threat. "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."

The minister further alleged that the deputy governor later rushed toward the vehicle, also threatening to slap him but was unable to approach him. "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," Tuggar added.

Tuggar accused associates of Governor Mohammed of spreading misinformation on social media, falsely claiming that the deputy governor had slapped him. "That is not true. Even the deputy governor, Jatau, knows nothing like that happened. Later, they changed the story to say I wasn't slapped at all," he stated.

This clarification comes after reports circulated in April suggesting that Deputy Governor Jatau had slapped Tuggar during the turbaning ceremony of former Bauchi State Governor, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, as the Makama Babba I of the Bauchi Emirate.

The incident highlights growing tensions between federal and state government officials in Bauchi. Neither Governor Mohammed nor his deputy has publicly responded to Tuggar's allegations as of the time of this report.