The Federal Government has responded to recent concerns raised by the Turkish authorities, confirming that there is no newly identified terrorist group operating within Nigeria.
This response follows remarks made by Turkey’s Ambassador-designate to Nigeria, Mehmet Poroy, during an event held in Abuja to commemorate Turkey’s Democracy and National Unity Day.
Poroy alleged that members of the Fethullah Terrorist Organisation (FETO) are active in Nigeria, operating under the guise of schools and healthcare services.
According to the Turkish official, the organisation continues to function in various countries around the world, and he claimed it remains present in Nigeria through institutions linked to education and public welfare.
He also described the group’s presence as a potential threat and urged Nigerian authorities to remain alert.
However, Nigeria’s National Counter-Terrorism Centre has dismissed the claims of a new group operating within the country.
Maj. Gen. Adamu Laka, the Centre’s Coordinator, reassured the public that no such terrorist organisation currently exists in Nigeria, and urged citizens to stay calm and not be alarmed.
The Fethullah Terrorist Organisation is allegedly associated with the late Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, who died in 2024.
Once an ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Gulen later fell out with the administration and was accused of masterminding a failed coup attempt in Turkey in 2016.
He denied the allegations, but was convicted in absentia and his global network of educational and charitable organisations was labelled as a terrorist group by the Turkish government.
Although institutions linked to Gulen are said to operate in more than 160 countries, including Nigeria, there has been no official evidence or public record showing that these establishments are involved in terrorist activities within Nigerian borders.