The Turkish government has raised an alarm over the continued presence of members of the Fethullah Terrorist Organisation (FETO) in Nige...
The Turkish government has raised an alarm over the continued presence of members of the Fethullah Terrorist Organisation (FETO) in Nigeria, warning that the group remains a global security threat operating under humanitarian and educational fronts.
This was disclosed by Mehmet Poroy, Türkiye’s Ambassador-designate to Nigeria, during a dinner hosted Tuesday night in Abuja to commemorate Democracy and National Unity Day, a solemn event held annually to mark the July 15, 2016 failed coup in Türkiye.
Poroy described FETO as the masterminds of the bloody coup attempt that left 251 people dead, saying the group remains highly active across the world despite Türkiye’s sustained global crackdown.
“Unfortunately, the FETO terrorist organisation still maintains its activities in Nigeria, particularly in the fields of education and healthcare,” Poroy warned.
He added that the Turkish government has consistently briefed Nigerian authorities on the group's covert activities and urged continued vigilance.
“We consistently inform our Nigerian friends about the nature and dangers of this organisation and urge them to remain vigilant and cautious,” he said.
“FETO Seeks to Infiltrate Political Systems” – Envoy
Poroy said although numerous institutions affiliated with FETO have been dismantled globally—including schools and NGOs—their networks are still operational in several countries, Nigeria inclusive.
“In several countries, including Nigeria, FETO continues to pump its operations under the guise of humanitarian aid, education, healthcare, and interfaith dialogue. Behind this appearance lies an organisation that seeks to infiltrate the political and bureaucratic institutions of host countries,” he warned.
The Turkish government accuses Fethullah Gülen, the founder of the movement, of orchestrating the 2016 coup and has labelled the group a terrorist organisation. Gülen, who had lived in self-exile in Pennsylvania, USA, died in October 2024 at age 83.
Türkiye claims that since the coup, it has seized or frozen billions of dollars in FETO-linked assets, including schools, foundations, and companies, with the cooperation of partner nations.
Nigeria Urged to Take Action
Poroy called on Nigeria to follow the example of countries like Pakistan and Northern Cyprus, which have formally declared FETO a terrorist group. He added that the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have also blacklisted the group.
“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,” Poroy said.
The Turkish government is pushing for closer intelligence collaboration with Nigerian authorities to dismantle any remaining FETO presence in the country.
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