TUGGAR DEMANDS UNEDITED AIRING OF PIERS MORGAN INTERVIEW, DENIES CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION ALLEGATIONS
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By: Sefiu Ajape
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has called for the full and unedited broadcast of his recent interview on Piers Morgan Uncensored, warning that selective editing could distort Nigeria’s image and promote “misleading narratives and allegations of religious persecution.”
In a post shared on X on Wednesday, Tuggar said he appeared on Piers Morgan’s flagship programme to provide a factual and balanced response to claims about religious freedom in Nigeria.
According to the minister, his responses during the interview were backed by verifiable data, even if they did not align with certain preconceived opinions. He maintained that transparency demanded airing the entire conversation “exactly as recorded.”
“I appeared on @piersmorgan’s flagship programme, @PiersUncensored, where I presented a factual and contextual perspective on the misleading narratives and allegations of religious persecution in Nigeria.
“My explanations, supported by verifiable data, may not have conformed to certain preconceived views.
“However, for the sake of integrity and transparency, it is essential that the full interview be aired exactly as recorded, without edits or selective omissions. Nigeria’s truth must not be distorted to fit external biases,” he wrote.
As of press time, the full version of the interview had not been released on Piers Morgan Uncensored’s official platforms. Tuggar, who recently met with his German counterpart, Johann Wadephul, in Berlin, reaffirmed that it was “impossible” for the Nigerian government to persecute any citizen on religious grounds.
He stated that Nigeria’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion and upholds the rule of law, making any state-backed discrimination “unthinkable.”
Concerns over alleged religious persecution in Nigeria resurfaced earlier this year after the United States Congress debated proposals to categorize the country as a “country of particular concern” and impose sanctions.
In April, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a report dismissing claims of a “Christian genocide” in Nigeria as a dangerous and misleading narrative.
The report emphasized that the government remains committed to secularism, interfaith dialogue, and the protection of religious freedoms.
“Rather than perpetuating a narrative that reinforces divisions and fuels further violence, analysts need to adopt a more nuanced and balanced understanding that recognizes Nigeria’s ethno-religious dynamics and the many efforts underway to promote peace, tolerance, and coexistence,” the report stated.
Despite these clarifications, on October 31, US President Donald Trump re-designated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern,” accusing the government of failing to curb attacks against Christians.
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