LONDON, England — A diplomatic spat has broken out between Piers Morgan, the British broadcaster, and Yusuf Tuggar, Nigeria’s minister of foreign affairs, after Tuggar publicly demanded that his interview on Piers Morgan Uncensored be aired in full, without edits.
Tuggar said on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, that he appeared on the programme to provide “a factual and contextual perspective on the misleading narratives and allegations of religious persecution in Nigeria”.
He added that his explanations may not have aligned with “preconceived views” but were grounded in verifiable data.
“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,” Tuggar said, urging Morgan to broadcast the discussion unaltered.
Morgan responded sharply on Thursday, November 13, 2025, accusing the minister of overreacting.
“You seem to be panicking, foreign minister. Rest assured, we will air your comments in full; the show is called ‘Uncensored’ for a reason,” he wrote.
“Whether people believe what you said remains to be seen.”
Tuggar dismissed the broadcaster’s remarks with a light-hearted retort.
“I am as cool as a cucumber, Mr Morgan. And if I wasn’t more equable, I would say you are flattering yourself, but I won’t,” he replied.
“Just want to make sure you don’t edit out the parts where you kept referring to the ‘Chibok Boys’! Well researched.”
His remark appeared to playfully highlight a supposed mix-up during the interview, in which Morgan reportedly referred to the Chibok girls — the schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram in 2014 — as “boys”.
The exchange has fuelled anticipation around the yet-to-be-released interview, which had not been published on Morgan’s YouTube channel as of press time.
The broadcaster has not indicated when the episode will air.
The dispute comes at a time when Nigeria is pushing back against international criticism of its human rights and security record, particularly allegations of religious persecution — claims the government has repeatedly rejected.
The minister’s insistence on an unedited broadcast underscores Abuja’s concern about how its positions are portrayed in Western media.
Morgan, known for his combative interviewing style, hinted that viewers would ultimately decide the credibility of Tuggar’s responses once the programme is released.
