Students in Nigeria have been made to suffer the consequences of Turkey’s failed coup, as the European country’s ambassador orders closure of all Turkish schools in Nigeria.
The statement comes as a result of allegations that the US and Nigerian government played a part in Turkey’s attempted military take over of Erdogan’s government.
Image: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) and US president Barack Obama (R).
US president Barack Obama: “Any reports that we had any previous knowledge of a coup attempt – that there was any US involvement in it – that we were anything other than entirely supportive of Turkish democracy are completely false, unequivocally false.”
A report from Premium Times quotes Hakan Cakil [the Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria] as ordering the Nigerian government to close 17 Turkish schools located in the country.
The order comes as a result of Nigeria’s alleged links with a movement led by US-based Fethullah Gulen who has been accused as orchestrating the failed plot to topple Erdogan’s government.
Speaking with Shehu Sani [the Vice Chairman of Nigeria’s Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs] who paid him a courtesy visit, the ambassador made it clear that the Turkish Government had nothing to do with the schools.
In his words: “We are requesting the Nigerian Government to close down the schools.
“I have requested officially, both orally and in writing, the closure of these schools. Also, I have sent a letter to Mr Geoffrey Onyeama (Foreign Minister) and Mr Abba Kyari (Chief of Staff to the President) about this subject and requested their support for the closure of the schools.
“I will also send letters to the Chairmen of Committees on Foreign Affairs in the National Assembly as well as the Senate Majority Leader over the issue and I am going to enclose some documents in English on how the group members are engaged in the army, police and the Judiciary.
“In Nigeria, there are 17 schools, which belong to the Gulen Movement, one in Kano, one in Kaduna, one in Abuja, Lagos etc and they are offering scholarships.
“We are starting some legal procedures to take the name of Turkish out of the name of the schools. They are not the schools of the Turkish Government.
“They are misleading the public and allocating scholarships to the children of the high bureaucracy and after they graduate from school, they send the children to Turkey to attend their universities,’’ he said.
Image: Sen. Shehu Sani (R) with Ambassador of Turkey, Ambassador Hakan Cakil during the meeting in Abuja. (Source: Premium Times).
Ambassador Hakan continued in his statement: “Turkish government has already closed down all primary, secondary, high schools and universities owned by the group in Turkey.
“In our system, it is allowed for the foundation to establish schools if they fulfill some requirements and that is how they established these schools.
“This is an issue that the Turkish Government has attached so much importance.
“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.
“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.
