The Federal Government has dismissed a claim by Turkey that a terrorist network allegedly tied to the late cleric Fethullah Gulen is operating in Nigeria under the cover of educational and health services.
The Turkish Ambassador-designate to Nigeria, Mehmet Poroy, made the allegation during an event held in Abuja on Tuesday night to commemorate Turkey’s Democracy and National Unity Day. According to Poroy, the group—known as the Fethullah Terrorist Organisation (FETO)—continues to maintain a presence in Nigeria and other countries globally.
“We regret to inform that the FETO terrorist network is still active in Nigeria, particularly in schools and healthcare sectors,” Poroy said. “This organisation presents a threat wherever it exists, and we continue to engage with Nigerian authorities to stress the dangers it poses.”
The diplomat urged Nigerian stakeholders to remain vigilant and to take the alleged threat seriously.
However, Nigeria’s counter-terrorism agency has rejected the assertion, assuring the public that there is no evidence of any newly emerging terrorist group within the country.
The Coordinator of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, Major General Adamu Laka, urged Nigerians not to panic over the claims.
“There is no new terrorist group in Nigeria. There’s absolutely no reason for panic,” he said.
FETO is associated with the late Turkish Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, who died in 2024 at the age of 83. Once a close ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Gulen became a major political rival and was accused of masterminding the failed 2016 coup attempt in Turkey.
Following the coup, the Turkish government labelled Gulen’s global network of schools, charities, and organisations as a terrorist group. While Ankara claims these institutions operate in over 160 countries, including Nigeria, no direct evidence has surfaced linking Gulen-affiliated organisations to terrorist activities within Nigeria.
Security experts note that while diplomatic tensions between Ankara and Gulen-linked institutions continue to influence Turkey’s foreign relations, Nigerian authorities have yet to identify any actionable threat from the said group.
So far, the Federal Government has maintained that its counter-terrorism measures remain robust and that its agencies are closely monitoring all security concerns within its borders.