The Turkish government has issued a warning about the presence of the Fethullah Terrorist Organisation (FETO), a group it considers a global terrorist threat, reportedly operating in Nigeria and other countries worldwide.
Turkish Ambassador-designate to Nigeria, Mehmet Poroy, raised the alarm on Tuesday evening during a dinner hosted by the Turkish Embassy in Abuja to commemorate Turkey’s Democracy and National Unity Day. The event marks the anniversary of the failed coup attempt in Turkey on July 15, 2016, which the Turkish government attributes to FETO.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the commemoration honors the citizens and security forces who resisted the coup and defended the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Speaking at the event, Ambassador Poroy reiterated Turkey’s long-standing position that FETO, led by the now-deceased Islamic cleric Fethullah Gülen, continues to pose a significant threat globally. Gülen died in October 2024 in the United States, where he had lived in self-imposed exile.
“They are still being captured and arrested today,” Poroy said.
“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.”
Poroy emphasized that Turkish authorities consistently engage with Nigerian officials to raise awareness about the nature and risks of FETO, urging vigilance.
He noted that through international collaboration, Turkey has dismantled several FETO networks in allied countries, taking control of institutions previously linked to the group — especially schools and foundations — and bringing them under the administration of Turkish authorities.
However, he acknowledged that FETO’s global network has not been fully dismantled and remains a concern.
“The continuation of arrests and investigations around the world shows that this fight must continue with determination,” he said.
“In countries like Nigeria, FETO still operates under the guise of humanitarian aid, education, healthcare, and interfaith dialogue. Behind these appearances lies a strategic effort to infiltrate political and bureaucratic institutions.”
The Gülen movement — known in Turkey as Hizmet (meaning “Service”) — emerged in the 1950s as a religious and social initiative. The Turkish government blames the group for orchestrating the 2016 coup attempt that left at least 251 people dead and hundreds injured. Since then, Turkey has designated the group as a terrorist organisation and launched a global crackdown on its activities.
Billions of dollars’ worth of assets linked to the group, including schools, universities, NGOs, and companies, have been seized or frozen. Several countries and regional bodies, including the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the Gulf Cooperation Council, Pakistan, and Northern Cyprus, have officially designated FETO as a terrorist organization.
Despite Turkey’s campaign, the Gülen movement continues to deny any involvement in terrorism or the 2016 coup.
