THE Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has strongly refuted claims by Turkish Ambassador-designate to Nigeria, Mehmet Poroy, alleging that a Turkish-designated terror group is operating within Nigerian territory under the guise of education and healthcare services.
In a statement issued Thursday by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Markus Kangye made available to News Point Nigeria, the DHQ described the assertion as “unofficial” and lacking credible basis, noting that Nigeria, as a sovereign nation, does not accept foreign intelligence without independent verification.
“Information from the person you are talking about, as far as the Defence Headquarters is concerned, is an unofficial announcement. Everybody is free to say whatever they want. There is freedom of information,” Kangye said.
“Nigeria is an independent sovereign nation that can think and act for itself.”
Speaking at an event in Abuja on Tuesday commemorating Türkiye’s Democracy and National Unity Day, Ambassador Poroy claimed that members of the Fethullah Terrorist Organisation (FETO) were active in Nigeria, particularly in sectors such as education and healthcare.
“The presence of such an organisation poses a threat to every country in which it operates,” Poroy warned.
Türkiye considers FETO a terrorist organisation, blaming it for the failed July 15, 2016 coup attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The group is allegedly affiliated with the late Turkish cleric Fethullah Gülen, who operated a global network of schools and humanitarian organisations before his death in 2024.
While Türkiye continues a global crackdown on institutions linked to Gülen, several countries including Nigeria have not designated FETO as a terrorist group, nor have they presented public evidence supporting such claims locally.
Maj. Gen. Kangye emphasized that Nigeria’s counterterrorism policies are guided by national intelligence assessments, not international narratives.
“We cannot take what other people are saying about Nigeria and accept it without our own independent assessment. Nigeria knows what it is, and the Nigerian military has its own code of conduct and operational guidelines.”
He acknowledged Nigeria’s strong bilateral and military relationships with several countries, including Türkiye, but warned against using such platforms to promote unverified information that could incite unnecessary panic or mistrust.
Kangye further alluded to the rise of international propaganda and psychological operations, cautioning that foreign assertions could sometimes be part of broader geopolitical maneuvers.
“There are propagandists all over the world. Psychological oppressions go on everywhere. That’s why we must be vigilant,” he said.
He concluded by reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to combating terrorism on its own terms, guided by national priorities, verified intelligence, and existing military protocols.