Turkey Warns of Fethullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) Operations in Nigeria

The Turkish government has raised concerns over the continued presence of members of the Fethullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) in Nigeria and other parts of the world.

Mehmet Poroy, Turkey’s Ambassador-designate to Nigeria, made the disclosure Tuesday night in Abuja during a dinner hosted by the Turkish Embassy to mark the country’s Democracy and National Unity Day. The event commemorates the July 15, 2016 failed coup attempt in Türkiye, which Ankara blames on the FETO network.

According to Poroy, FETO—linked to the now-deceased Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen—remains active in several countries under the guise of humanitarian efforts, particularly in sectors like education and healthcare.

“They are still being captured and arrested today. The presence of such an organisation poses a threat to every country in which it operates,” Poroy warned.
“Unfortunately, the FETO terrorist organisation still maintains its activities in Nigeria, particularly in the fields of education and healthcare. We consistently inform our Nigerian friends about the nature and dangers of this organisation and urge them to remain vigilant and cautious.”

He added that Türkiye, through international collaboration, has dismantled many FETO-linked cells and seized institutions under its network abroad—especially schools that were taken over by Turkish authorities. However, he stressed that FETO’s global structures have not been completely dismantled.

Poroy also emphasized the deceptive nature of the group’s global operations.
“In several countries, including Nigeria, FETO continues to pump its operations under the presence of humanitarian aid, education, healthcare, and interfaith dialogue. You must not forget that behind this humanitarian appearance lies an organisation that seeks to infiltrate the political and bureaucratic institutions of host countries,” he said.

Founded in the 1950s by Fethullah Gülen, the Gülen movement—known as “Hizmet” (meaning “service”) in Turkish—presents itself as a religious, educational, and social organization. However, the Turkish government holds it responsible for the 2016 coup attempt that killed at least 251 people and has designated it a terrorist organization.

Gülen, who died in October 2024 at age 83 while in exile in Pennsylvania, U.S., had denied any involvement in the coup. Still, Türkiye has aggressively pursued a global crackdown on the movement, freezing or taking control of Gülen-linked schools, foundations, businesses, and other assets worldwide.

International bodies such as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and countries like Pakistan and Northern Cyprus have officially recognized FETO as a terrorist organization.