Tension Erupts as Bauchi Deputy Governor Jatau Slaps Tinubu’s Foreign Affairs Minister.
From Our Correspondent
A dramatic incident unfolded at the Emir’s Palace in Bauchi on Friday when the state’s Deputy Governor, Auwal Jatau, allegedly slapped the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, during a heated exchange.
The altercation took place during the turbaning ceremony for former Bauchi State Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, who was honored as Makama Babba 1 of the Bauchi Emirate. This event coincided with the wedding of his daughter, Khadija Mohammed.
Top political figures were in attendance, including Vice President Kashim Shettima and Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya.
Eyewitnesses reported that the clash began after the Foreign Minister made disparaging remarks about the Bala Mohammed-led administration—comments that the Deputy Governor found deeply offensive.
“The Deputy Governor was visibly furious. It was a shocking moment. If not for Vice President Shettima’s swift intervention, the situation could have escalated further,” a source told Our Source.
This incident highlights the ongoing political rift between Minister Tuggar and Governor Bala Mohammed, with Tuggar being a known critic of the state’s PDP-led government.
He has previously accused the governor of leveraging Bola Tinubu’s tax reforms to further his ambitions for the 2027 presidential election.
As of the time this report was filed, neither the Bauchi State Government nor the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs had issued an official statement regarding the incident.
