Turkish govt raises alarm over secret recruitment by terrorist group in Nigeria

The Turkish government has raised the alarm over the presence of a terrorist group known as the Fethullah Terrorist Organisation (FETO) in Nigeria.

This is according to Turkish Ambassador-designate to Nigeria, Mehmet Poroy, who said members of the terrorist group are using schools and health services as a cover for their operations in the country.

Poroy made this known while speaking at a dinner organised by the Turkish Embassy to mark the country’s Democracy and National Unity Day in Abuja on Tuesday, July 15, 2025.

The annual ceremony was held to mark the July 15, 2016, failed coup in Türkiye, which the so-called FETO terrorists allegedly orchestrated.

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The Turkish government said the collective efforts of its patriotic forces and citizens, who resisted the mutiny against the government of President Recep Erdoğan, successfully quelled the coup.

Meanwhile, Poroy said members of the Gülen movement, which sponsored the coup, are still being captured and arrested globally; hence, their presence in any country poses a serious national 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,” the Turkish envoy said.

The Turkish government said it has successfully disrupted many Fethullah cells and networks operating in allied countries worldwide, aided by international cooperation.

According to Poroy, Turkish institutions have taken over numerous institutions, especially schools that form part of FETO’s international network, but said the group's international structures have not been fully dismantled globally.

“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,” the Turkish envoy said.

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Founded in late 1950, the Gülen movement, also known as Hizmet or Service in Turkish, is purportedly a transnational, religious, educational, and social organisation.

Its founder, Fethullah Gülen, was a Turkish Islamic scholar who died as a fugitive in October 2024 at the age of 83, in Pennsylvania, United States.