FG Dismisses Turkey’s Claim of FETO Terrorist Group Presence in Nigeria, Urges Calm
The Federal Government has dismissed recent allegations by the Turkish government suggesting that members of the Fethullah Terrorist Organisation (FETO) are operating within Nigeria.
Speaking on Wednesday, the Coordinator of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Maj. Gen. Adamu Laka, reassured Nigerians that there is no evidence of any new terrorist organisation in the country. He urged the public to remain calm and avoid unnecessary panic.
“There is no need to panic,” Laka told newsmen in an interview, responding to remarks made by Türkiye’s Ambassador-designate to Nigeria, Mehmet Poroy.
Poroy had made the comments on Tuesday during a dinner hosted by the Turkish Embassy in Abuja to commemorate Türkiye’s Democracy and National Unity Day—an annual event marking the failed July 15, 2016 coup attempt.
In his address, the Turkish envoy alleged that FETO—a group Ankara accuses of orchestrating the 2016 coup—continues to operate under the guise of humanitarian work, with an active presence in Nigeria through educational and healthcare institutions.
“Unfortunately, the FETO terrorist organisation still maintains its activities in Nigeria, particularly in the fields of education and healthcare,” Poroy stated. “The presence of such an organisation poses a threat to every country in which it operates.”
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He also urged Nigerian authorities to remain vigilant, warning that the group employs subtle tactics to infiltrate political and social systems abroad.
FETO is the term used by the Turkish government to describe institutions and individuals linked to Fethullah Gülen, a Turkish Islamic scholar and former political ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Gülen, who strongly denied any involvement in the 2016 coup, lived in self-imposed exile in the United States until his death in 2024 at the age of 83.
Following the coup attempt, the Turkish government designated Gülen’s global network of schools, NGOs, and businesses as a terrorist organisation and launched a widespread crackdown.
While Gülen-affiliated institutions are known to exist in over 160 countries, including Nigeria, no credible evidence has been made public linking them to terrorist activities on Nigerian soil.
Despite Ankara’s persistent warnings, Nigerian authorities have not officially designated FETO or any related group as a security threat. Analysts believe the Federal Government is exercising caution in adopting a foreign government’s classification without independent verification.
Security experts have also noted that Turkey’s campaign to shut down Gülen-linked entities abroad has been part of a broader diplomatic effort since 2016.
As of now, there is no official action by Nigerian authorities to ban or label any organisation in the country as affiliated with FETO.
By PRNigeria
