THE Turkish government has issued a fresh warning over the continued presence and operations of the Fethullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) in Nigeria, stating that the group remains active particularly in sectors like education and healthcare.
This was disclosed by Mehmet Poroy, Turkish Ambassador-designate to Nigeria, on Tuesday night at a dinner event hosted by the Turkish Embassy in Abuja to commemorate Türkiye’s Democracy and National Unity Day.
The annual observance marks the anniversary of the failed July 15, 2016 coup attempt in Türkiye, which the government attributes to FETO.
“The FETO terrorist organisation still maintains its activities in Nigeria,” Poroy stated. “We consistently inform our Nigerian friends about the nature and dangers of this organisation and urge them to remain vigilant and cautious.”
According to Poroy, members of the Gülen movement—which Türkiye holds responsible for the bloody coup attempt that claimed at least 251 lives—still pose serious national security risks in many countries where they operate.
The ambassador emphasized that FETO’s global operations are far from over. “They are still being captured and arrested today,” he said, noting that Turkish intelligence and diplomatic efforts have led to the disruption of many FETO-linked networks across the world.
Through international cooperation, Poroy noted, many schools and institutions allegedly linked to FETO have been shut down or taken over by official Turkish entities.
However, the diplomat acknowledged that the group’s structures have not been completely dismantled.
“In several countries, including Nigeria, FETO continues to mask its operations under the guise of humanitarian aid, education, healthcare, and interfaith dialogue,” he warned.
“You must not forget that behind this humanitarian appearance lies an organisation that seeks to infiltrate political and bureaucratic systems.”
FETO, also known as the Gülen movement or Hizmet (Service), is a transnational religious, educational, and social network founded in the 1950s by Turkish cleric Fethullah Gülen.
Once a powerful ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Gülen later fell out with the Turkish leadership and became the primary suspect in the 2016 coup plot.
Gülen lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania, United States, until his death in October 2024 at the age of 83.
Despite widespread international operations, the group has consistently denied involvement in the coup and rejected its classification as a terrorist organisation.
However, Türkiye has formally designated FETO as a terrorist group and launched an aggressive global crackdown, freezing assets and taking over thousands of institutions including schools, charities, and businesses believed to be linked to the network.
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and several nations such as Pakistan and Northern Cyprus have also listed FETO as a terrorist organisation.
As Türkiye continues to press its global campaign against the group, Ambassador Poroy’s statement marks a renewed diplomatic push to raise awareness about what Ankara considers an ongoing and covert threat within Nigerian borders.