Screenshot of Tuggar (left) on Piers Morgan's (middle) show
Yusuf Tuggar, minister of foreign affairs, has demanded a full, unedited airing of his interview with Piers Morgan, ace British broadcaster and host of ‘Piers Morgan Uncensored’.
On Wednesday, Tuggar said he appeared on the show to present “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,” he added.
Tuggar said his call for a full airing of the interview is in keeping with integrity and transparency benchmarks.
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“Nigeria’s truth must not be distorted to fit external biases,” the minister said.
The interview has yet to be released on Morgan’s YouTube channel.
Tuggar has been one of several Nigerian government officials pushing back on claims of Christian persecution in Africa’s most populous nation.
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During a meeting with Johann Wadephul, his German counterpart, in Berlin last week, the minister said it is “impossible” for the Nigerian government to persecute any citizen on the basis of religion.
He added that Nigeria’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion and firmly upholds the rule of law, making any form of state-backed persecution unthinkable.
The alleged religious violence concerns gained momentum in March when the United States Congress heard proposals from lawmakers seeking the imposition of sanctions on Nigeria as a country of particular concern (CPC).
In April, Nigeria’s ministry of foreign affairs commissioned a report labelling allegations of a Christian genocide in the country as a dangerous, single, linear narrative.
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The report maintained that authorities in Nigeria have remained committed to upholding secular principles and promoting freedom of religion and interfaith dialogue in the country.
“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 said.
Despite the efforts, US President Donald Trump re-designated Nigeria a “country of particular concern” on October 31, accusing the government of failing to curb attacks against Christians.
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