By Erewunmi Peace

Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, was involved in a heated on-air confrontation with Goldie Ghamari, a former Canadian lawmaker, during an appearance on Piers Morgan Uncensored, sparking widespread reactions across social media and diplomatic circles.

Tension Erupts on Live Television

The clash began after Piers Morgan raised claims by rights groups alleging large-scale persecution of Christians in Nigeria. Tuggar dismissed the figures as exaggerated and “inaccurate,” insisting that the Nigerian government does not classify killings by religion and has remained committed to protecting all citizens.

Ghamari immediately countered, accusing the minister of downplaying the crisis and “lying to the world,” saying:

“Shame on him for lying.”

The exchange intensified when Tuggar fired back, accusing Ghamari of inflaming tensions and spreading misinformation from afar. He responded:

“You’re a disgrace… a disgrace to the Canadian nation.”

Dispute Over Numbers and Narrative

Morgan referenced statistics from a civil liberties organization claiming over 50,000 Christians have been killed since 2009 and more than 18,000 churches destroyed.
Tuggar rejected those figures, providing alternative numbers from government records and warning against what he described as “weaponizing religion” to destabilize Nigeria.

Ghamari maintained her stance, insisting that the crisis in Nigeria is being underreported globally.

The fiery exchange has since gone viral, with Nigerians defending Tuggar’s assertive response while others say the confrontation highlights deep international misunderstandings about Nigeria’s security challenges.

Political commentators note that the clash reflects a growing global debate about how Nigeria’s conflict should be framed — as terrorism, banditry, or religious persecution.