Turkish Envoy Warns of FETO Presence in Nigeria, Urges Vigilance

DDM News

The Turkish government has raised fresh concerns over the continued presence of members of the Fethullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) in Nigeria, describing the group as a serious threat to national and global security.

Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that the warning was issued by Mehmet Poroy, the Turkish Ambassador-designate to Nigeria, during a dinner event in Abuja on Tuesday night.

The ceremony, hosted by the Turkish Embassy, marked the annual commemoration of Turkey’s Democracy and National Unity Day, held every July 15 to remember the failed 2016 coup attempt.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the Turkish government holds FETO responsible for orchestrating the July 15, 2016 coup, which targeted President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s administration and claimed the lives of at least 251 people.

The Turkish government has since designated the Gülen movement, led by Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, as a terrorist organization.

Ambassador Poroy emphasized that the FETO network remains active in several countries, including Nigeria, and warned of its operations masked under seemingly humanitarian fronts such as education, healthcare, and interfaith dialogue.

“These individuals are still being captured and arrested worldwide.

The presence of such an organization poses a threat to every country in which it operates,” Poroy stated.

He disclosed that FETO’s influence in Nigeria is particularly evident in the education and healthcare sectors.

He also noted that Turkey has consistently engaged with Nigerian authorities to raise awareness about the risks posed by the group.

“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, also known as the Gülen movement or Hizmet (meaning “Service” in Turkish), began in the late 1950s as a socio-religious movement led by Fethullah Gülen.

It expanded its influence globally, operating schools, universities, charities, and businesses across many countries.

However, following the 2016 coup attempt, the Turkish government launched an extensive international campaign to dismantle the group’s network.

Poroy explained that numerous institutions, particularly schools linked to the group, have been taken over by Turkish-backed organizations in various allied countries.

He said that while significant progress has been made, the organization’s global structure has not yet been fully dismantled.

“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,” he said.

He further warned that behind FETO’s humanitarian appearance lies a covert agenda to infiltrate and manipulate political and bureaucratic institutions in host countries.

“Their operations continue under the guise of humanitarian aid and interfaith dialogue, but their long-term goal is political infiltration,” Poroy cautioned.

Fethullah Gülen, the founder of the movement, lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania, United States, until his reported death in October 2024 at the age of 83.

Despite international denials from Gülen and his followers regarding the terrorism designation, Turkey maintains its stance and continues its global crackdown.

Since 2016, the Turkish government has seized or frozen billions of dollars in assets linked to the group and has pursued extradition requests and arrests in several countries.

In support of Turkey’s position, regional bodies such as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), as well as countries including Pakistan and Northern Cyprus, have formally recognized FETO as a terrorist organization.

Nine years after the attempted coup, Turkey continues its worldwide campaign to expose and neutralize what it sees as a deeply entrenched transnational threat.

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