The Turkish government has issued a warning to the Nigerian administration under President Bola Tinubu regarding the presence and activities of the Fethullah Terrorist Organisation (FETO) within Nigeria. This disclosure was made by Mehmet Poroy, Turkey’s ambassador-designate to Nigeria, during a dinner in Abuja commemorating Turkey’s Democracy and National Unity Day.
The ceremony marks the anniversary of the failed July 15, 2016 coup attempt in Türkiye, which Ankara attributes to FETO, led by the late Fethullah Gülen, a Turkish cleric who died in exile in the United States in October 2024. The coup was foiled by Turkish forces and civilians loyal to President Recep Erdoğan.
Ambassador Poroy revealed that despite ongoing global efforts to dismantle FETO cells, the organisation continues to operate clandestinely in Nigeria, particularly in the sectors of education, healthcare, humanitarian aid, and interfaith dialogue. Poroy emphasized that behind FETO’s humanitarian facade lies a covert agenda to infiltrate political and bureaucratic institutions in host countries.
Turkey has been aggressively pursuing a global crackdown on FETO, freezing assets and shutting down affiliated schools, universities, foundations, and companies worldwide. Several countries, including Nigeria’s regional allies, have designated FETO as a terrorist organisation. However, Nigeria has been cautious in labeling the group officially a terror entity due to complex diplomatic and internal considerations.
Poroy urged Nigerian authorities to remain vigilant and cooperate with Turkish efforts to neutralize FETO networks within the country. He stressed that the group still poses a serious security threat, given its history of sponsoring terrorism and attempts to destabilize democratic governments.
This warning highlights the ongoing international dimension of security threats in Nigeria and underscores the need for enhanced intelligence-sharing and collaboration between Nigeria and Türkiye.