Nigerian Turkish schools denies links to Turkey coup


Date posted: July 30, 2016

The management of the Nigerian-Turkish International Colleges (NTIC) says the government of Turkey is insulting Nigeria by requesting the closure of its schools in the country.

Speaking on Wednesday during a meeting with Shehu Sani, vice-chairman of the senate committee on foreign affairs, Hakan Cakil, the Turkish ambassador to Nigeria, had asked the government to shut down the 17 Turkish schools in the country.

He said that the owners of the schools were members of the Fethullah Gulen movement, which allegedly plotted the botched July 15 coup in Turkey.

He also alleged that the owners of the schools used proceeds from their investment in Nigeria for criminal activities.

But in a statement on Friday, Orhan Kertim, managing director of the schools, described the request of the Turkish government as baseless and unfounded, saying that although the NTIC schools in Nigeria are Turkish in name, they are actually Nigerian in deeds.

“The NTIC is not a Turkish government-run institution, but a privately funded institution by a group of Turkish investors,” he said.

“As a responsible organisation operating in Nigeria since 1998, we are conversant with the laws of the land and we have to the best of our ability abided by these stipulations.

“The call therefore by the Turkish ambassador is not only baseless, but it is also unfounded and of poor taste.

“Nigeria is a sovereign country and call by the Turkish ambassador is not only an affront on the sovereignty of the Nigerian nation, but a display of crass ignorance.

“The NTIC schools in Nigeria are Turkish in name, but Nigerian in deeds. We are partners in progress as evident in all our activities since 1998.”

Source: Naija 257 News , July 30, 2016


Related News

Editorial: Expulsion of Turk Teachers from Pakistan

The point is that Turkish teachers have not committed any crime in Pakistan. Abrupt exodus of those teachers would destroy teaching system in Pak-Turk schools in Pakistan. Nawaz Sharif should have considered the interest of citizens of Pakistan before submitting to unfair requests of Turkish government.

Mongolian teacher Galimbek’s message

Because we have been unable to become a regular and normal democracy, every generation and every social segment has once been defined as a domestic enemy in different periods. One of the things that the clandestine structures governing the old Turkey did best was to declare part of the people as an internal enemy and to launch effective propaganda to undermine their image in the eyes of the people.

Pro-Rashid Dostum Afghan security forces raided Afghan-Turk Boys High School in Shibirghan

An Afghan-Turk Boys High School was raided by the Afghan security forces under the command of Uzbek leader Abdul Rashid Dostum, controversial First Vice President of Afghanistan, early Saturday morning and detained Turkish teachers, dozens of students and their parents in order to seize the school at the request of Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan.

Gülen makes application to top court over slanderous report

The report is only one example of a growing campaign of slander against Gülen. The scholar, who has inspired a worldwide religious network that defends peaceful coexistence through dialogue and education, is currently being targeted in a large-scale smear campaign, which is sponsored by the Turkish government.

Back to school in Turkey after post-coup teacher purge

As more than 18 million children began the new term after the summer break, Huseyin Ozev, president of the Istanbul teachers’ union, told AFP there were fears the academic year would begin with “chaos” because of huge staff shortages.

Post-coup purge will affect Turkey’s education sector for decades

With more than 120,000 public workers suspended and nearly 40,000 people in prison, the aftermath of Turkey’s failed July 15 coup is being felt across every part of society, including its highest-ranked schools. The day after the coup attempt, 1,577 deans — working at nearly every university in the country — were forced to resign. An estimated 200,000 students were left in limbo after the closure of 15 universities and 1,043 private schools.

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

In Case You Missed It

Erdogan’s dirty deal: Afghanistan to hand over control of Gülenist schools to Turkey

KCK suspect Ersanlı says doesn’t believe Hizmet behind coup, terror trials

Students from 70 countries share joy of graduating in İstanbul ceremony

Fethullah Gülen and the role of nonviolence in a time of terror

Turkish Biggest NGO [ Kimse Yok Mu] Chief Discloses Plans to Extend to Gambia

Hizmet Essay Contest 2014

Gülen-linked journalists organization voices concern over profiling claims

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News