Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday said members of the Fetullah Terrorist Organisation (FETO) that attempted to push him out of power on July 15, 2016 through a failed coup are currently in Nigeria.
President Erdogan, who is on a four-day official tour of three African countries (Nigeria, Togo and Angola), made this disclosure at a joint press conference with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja.
He said: “Distinguished members of the press, as Turkey, we have been closely monitoring the developments unfolding in Nigeria, our brotherly and friendly nation.
“So, in order to cooperate further in the fields of military, defense, and security, we are doing everything that will be available
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“As we’re probably aware of the fact that Turkey has been fighting against terrorist organisations for many decades, such as the PKK, PYD, FETO, DASH and other terrorist organisations.
“The perpetrator of the heinous failed coup of July the 15th, FETO, is still illegally active in Nigeria, and we are continuously sharing our intelligence with the Nigerian interlocutors and authorities.
“I hope and pray that our Nigerian brothers will forge a closer solidarity in this field with us, the Republic of Turkey.”
The Turkish president expressed hope that the visit to Nigeria would yield “the most auspicious results and I would like to thank my distinguished brother, President Buhari, for being such a gracious host for me and for my delegation.”
THEWILL had reported that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Nigeria on Tuesday night.
He was welcomed by Nigerian Foreign Minister Geoffery Onyeama, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Muhammad Musa Bello, the Nigerian Ambassador to Turkey, Ismail Yusuf Abba, and the Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Hidayet Bayraktar, at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
Accompanying the president are first lady Emine Erdogan, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Donmez, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, Trade Minister Mehmet Mus, Omer Celik, the spokesman for Turkey’s Justice and Development (AK) Party, AK Party Deputy Chairman for Foreign Affairs Efkan Ala, Communications Director Fahrettin Altun and the presidential spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin.
THEWILL
