The Federal Government has dismissed claims of the emergence of a new terrorist organisation operating within Nigeria.
Naijaonpoint reports that the government gave the clarification in response to an alarm raised by the Turkish government over the alleged presence of the Fethullah Terrorist Organisation (FETO) in Nigeria.
The Turkish Ambassador-designate to Nigeria, Mehmet Poroy, had on Tuesday evening warned that FETO was using education and healthcare institutions as fronts for its alleged activities in Nigeria and around the world.
Speaking at a dinner hosted by the Turkish Embassy in Abuja to commemorate the country’s Democracy and National Unity Day, Poroy claimed that the FETO group, named after the late Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, remains active in Nigeria and poses a security threat.
“Unfortunately, the FETO terrorist organisation still maintains its activities in Nigeria, particularly in the fields of education and healthcare,” Poroy stated.
“We consistently inform our Nigerian friends about the nature and dangers of this organisation, and urge them to remain vigilant and cautious.”
The ambassador described the group as a threat to every country in which it operates, urging collaboration between Nigeria and Turkey to counter its alleged influence.
No cause for panic – Counter-Terrorism Centre
Reacting to the claims, the Coordinator of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, Maj Gen Adamu Laka, assured Nigerians that there is no record or emergence of any new terrorist group operating in the country.
“There’s no need to panic. We are not aware of any new terror group operating in Nigeria under that name or guise,” he told The PUNCH on Wednesday.
His comments come as the Nigerian security architecture continues to monitor domestic and transnational threats amid heightened global counter-terrorism cooperation.
FETO and Gulen’s Global Network
Naijaonpoint reports that the Fethullah Terrorist Organisation, as labelled by the Turkish government, is linked to Fethullah Gulen, a Muslim cleric and former ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Gulen, who died in 2024 at the age of 83, was accused by Ankara of orchestrating the failed 2016 coup attempt in Turkey, a charge he repeatedly denied.
Operating a vast international network of schools, charities, and dialogue centres in over 160 countries, Gulen’s institutions have been under scrutiny, especially in countries with close ties to Turkey.
While Gulen-affiliated schools have been reported to exist in Nigeria, there has been no public evidence or official classification by Nigerian authorities branding them as terrorist organisations.
Despite the Turkish government’s insistence, Nigerian officials say the country’s intelligence services remain on high alert and are committed to protecting national interests without yielding to unverified foreign claims.