Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Yusuf Tuggar, appeared on Piers Morgan’s programme on Tuesday, November 19, 2025, to address allegations of large-scale persecution of Christians in Nigeria, clashing with former Canadian lawmaker Goldie Ghamari.
During the discussion, Ghamari cited figures from the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, claiming over 50,000 Christians have been killed since 2009 and 18,000 churches destroyed. Tuggar disputed the numbers, asserting that the Nigerian government does not track fatalities by religion and only 177 Christians and 102 churches were affected in the past five years.
The debate escalated as Ghamari accused the Nigerian government of religious bias, linking security challenges to the Muslim identities of President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima, and alleging ties to Iran. Tuggar countered, describing her statements as uninformed and misleading, emphasizing that Nigeria prioritizes national and regional stability over religion.
Tuggar also highlighted personal experience, noting that he lost family members to Boko Haram attacks, which affect both Muslims and Christians. He criticized foreign commentators for inflaming tensions from afar, warning against efforts to destabilize Nigeria, Africa’s largest democracy.
The broadcast underscored ongoing international scrutiny of Nigeria’s security situation and the sensitive intersection of religion, governance, and human rights in the country.
