Turkish Envoy Seeks Closure Of Gulen Schools İn Nigeria

The Turkish ambassador to Nigeria late Thursday called for the immediate closure of at least 17 schools allegedly linked to the terror group said to be behind Turkey's July 15 attempted coup.



Hakan Cakil said the schools and other institutions in Nigeria were linked to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) led by U.S.-based preacher Fetullah Gulen.



"We are requesting the Nigerian government to close down the schools," Cakil said during a visit by senior Nigerian lawmaker Shehu Sani.



"I have requested officially, both orally and in writing, the closure of these schools. Also, I have sent a letter to Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama and Mr. Abba Kyari about this subject and requested their support for the closure of the schools."



Onyeama is Nigeria's foreign minister and Kyari is President Muhammadu Buhari's chief of staff.



Cakil said there were 17 Gulen movement schools, which are labelled Turkish international schools, across Nigeria offering scholarships.



"We are starting some legal procedures to take the name 'Turkish' out of the name of the schools," he added. "They are not the schools of the Turkish government."



According to the ambassador, there are other establishments run by the Gulen group in Nigeria such as hospitals. He said all the FETO-linked bodies raised funds that were used to further the group's interests.



"Recently, my minister called Mr. Onyeama and briefed him about these schools because they are raising funds through the schools and they are using these funds for illegal activities," Cakil said.



"This is a matter of national security for us in Turkey. I have instructions from my government to follow up this matter and we will be very happy to obtain the support of Nigerian legislators on that issue."



He added that it was "really clear" that FETO was behind the coup bid.



Sani, who on Wednesday called on the West not to protect coup plotters, restated his condemnation of the coup attempt. -