Turkey has called on the Nigerian government to close 17 Turkish schools in Nigeria due to links with the suspected perpetrators of the July 15t failed coup attempt in Turkey this year reports local media in Nigeria.
According to the Premium Times, the Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Hakan Cakil, called on the Nigerian government to close the schools since the Turkish government was disassociating itself with the schools. The Ambassador explained that although Turkey does have schools in other countries, it was related to any of the schools in Nigeria bearing its name.
“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.” Said the ambassador
He further explained that the 17 schools in Nigeria belong to the Gulen Movement, which is led by US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who has been pointed out as responsible for the failed coup attempt, which claimed over 200 lives by the Turkey government.
“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.
Turkey has closed all schools; primary, secondary, high schools and universities, linked to the movement operating within its borders.
“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 said.
