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Maj-Gen Adamu Laka, Coordinator, National Counter-Terrorism Centre NCTC
The Federal Government on Wednesday said that there is no new terror group in the country.
This came on the heels of a warning by the Turkish government that members of a terrorist group known as the Fethullah Terrorist Organisation operate in Nigeria, as well as in other countries around the world.
The Turkish Ambassador-designate to Nigeria, Mehmet Poroy, also claimed that the group was using schools and health services as a cover for its operations in the country.
Poroy disclosed this on Tuesday night in Abuja at a dinner organised by the Turkish Embassy to mark the country’s Democracy and National Unity Day.
“The presence of such an organisation poses a threat to every country in which it operates.
“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,” Poroy said.
However, speaking in an interview with The PUNCH, the Coordinator of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, Maj.-Gen. Adamu Laka, urged Nigerians not to panic, stating that no new terrorist group existed in the country.
“There is no new terrorist group in Nigeria. There’s no need to panic,” he said.
FETO is allegedly affiliated with the late Turkish cleric, Fethullah Gulen, who died in 2024 at the age of 83 years.
Once an ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Gulen was later accused of orchestrating a coup attempt in Turkey in 2016.
Gulen, who operated a global network of schools, charities, and organisations, was convicted in absentia of attempting to overthrow the Turkish state.
Though he denied the allegations, the Erdogan-led government classified his network as a terrorist organisation.
While Gulen-affiliated institutions reportedly exist in over 160 countries, including Nigeria, there has been no public evidence or official acknowledgement linking them to terrorist activities within Nigerian territory. (The PUNCH)
