The Turkish government has raised concerns about the presence of a terrorist group known as the Fethullah Terrorist Organisation operating in Nigeria and other countries across the globe.
Mehmet Poroy, the Turkish Ambassador-designate to Nigeria, stated that the group uses educational and health services to disguise its activities in Nigeria.
Poroy made this known on Tuesday night in Abuja during a dinner organised by the Turkish Embassy to commemorate Turkey’s Democracy and National Unity Day.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the event is held every year in remembrance of the failed July 15, 2016 coup in Türkiye, which the Turkish government attributes to FETO.
The Turkish government said the coup attempt was foiled through the collective resistance of patriotic citizens and government forces loyal to President Recep Erdoğan.
Poroy said members of the Gülen movement, which backed the coup, are still being apprehended around the world, and their operations in any country pose a serious threat.
“They are still being captured and arrested today. The presence of such an organisation poses a threat to every country in which it operates.
Unfortunately, the FETO terrorist organisation still maintains its activities in Nigeria, particularly in the fields of education and healthcare.
We consistently inform our Nigerian friends about the nature and dangers of this organisation, and urge them to remain vigilant and cautious,” Poroy said.
He explained that Turkey, through global partnerships, has successfully dismantled many FETO-linked cells and networks in allied countries.
Poroy added that many institutions, particularly schools associated with FETO, have been taken over by Turkish authorities.
However, he warned that the group’s international operations are still largely intact.
“The fact that new investigations and arrests into the organisation continue to be launched demonstrates the need for this struggle to be pursued with unwavering determination.
In several countries, including Nigeria, FETO continues to pump its operations under the guise of humanitarian aid, education, healthcare, and interfaith dialogue.
You must not forget that behind this humanitarian appearance lies an organisation that seeks to infiltrate the political and bureaucratic institutions of host countries,” Poroy warned.
The News Agency of Nigeria noted that the Gülen movement, known in Turkish as Hizmet (Service), is said to be a global religious, social, and educational movement founded in the late 1950s.
Its leader, Fethullah Gülen, a Turkish Islamic cleric, died as a fugitive in the United States in October 2024 at age 83.
The Turkish government has accused Gülen of orchestrating the 2016 coup, which resulted in the deaths of at least 251 people, and has since classified the movement as a terrorist organisation.
Nearly a decade later, Türkiye is still pursuing a wide-reaching crackdown on the group, maintaining that it continues to operate worldwide, despite the movement’s denial of being a terrorist organisation.
Türkiye has confiscated or frozen assets tied to Gülen globally, including schools, charities, companies, and associations.
The News Agency of Nigeria also reported that bodies like the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the Gulf Cooperation Council, as well as countries such as Pakistan and Northern Cyprus have labelled FETO a terrorist group.
Credit: NAN
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