FG Denies Existence of New Terror Group in Nigeria After Turkish Warning

The Federal Government has dismissed claims by Turkey that a new terrorist organisation is operating in Nigeria, saying there is no cause for alarm.

This comes after the Turkish government raised concerns about the presence of the Fethullah Terrorist Organisation (FETO) in Nigeria. The Turkish Ambassador-designate to Nigeria, Mehmet Poroy, alleged on Tuesday that the group operates under the guise of running schools and healthcare services.

Speaking at an event in Abuja to mark Turkey’s Democracy and National Unity Day, Poroy warned, “The presence of such an organisation poses a threat to every country in which it operates. Unfortunately, FETO continues its activities in Nigeria, particularly in education and healthcare. We have consistently alerted our Nigerian friends about its dangers and urged vigilance.”

Reacting, the Coordinator of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, Maj Gen Adamu Laka, assured Nigerians that there is no new terrorist group within the country.

“There is no new terrorist group in Nigeria. There’s no need to panic,” he told The PUNCH.

FETO is linked to the late Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, once an ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who later accused him of masterminding a failed coup in 2016. Gulen, who died in 2024, denied the allegations but was convicted in absentia. His global network of schools and charities exists in over 160 countries, including Nigeria, although there is no evidence tying them to terrorist activities locally.