Turkish govt has declared war on us, Nigerian student cries out from hiding


Date posted: October 2, 2016

Fredrick Nwabufo

Nigerian students in Turkey are in hiding following the government’s crackdown on them.

One of the affected students, who spoke to TheCable on Sunday, said that the Turkish government had declared an all-out war on them.

He said this is as a result of the refusal of President Muhammadu Buhari to accede to the request of closing down schools that shared the philosophy of Fethullah Gulen, an Islamic cleric who was blamed for the July 15 botched coup.

The Turkish schools in Nigeria are owned by the followers of Gulen, and the operation of the institutions is couched in Hizmet philosophy, which extols the virtues of charity, knowledge, peace and hard work.

The Nigerian government declined to shut down the schools after the Turkish government failed to show evidence that their sponsors were terrorists.

The source told TheCable that Nigerian students in Turkey were holed up in their rooms for fear of being arrested and deported.

“They (Turkish government) closed the private universities after the coup because they claimed they were affiliated to a terrorist organisation. Most of us international students were affected. My university was Fatih,” he said.

“The government said that they would transfer us to Instanbul University, and they promised to let us continue our studies. But on Sunday, September 25, they started arresting and deporting Nigerian students.

“But I know that students from Niger and Somalia were not harassed, arrested nor deported because their home governments shut down schools linked to the Hizmet movement at the request of the Turkish government.

“We are scared of leaving our rooms for fear of being arrested and charged with terrorism, or deported. Most of us are in our final year. What do we do?

“There is a man-hunt for Nigerian students in Turkey. We are holed up in our rooms.”

On Saturday, TheCable reported that the Turkish government had commenced a massive deportation of Nigerian students.

ThisDay newspaper had also reported that 50 Nigerian students were being detained in the country.

Source: The Cable , October 2, 2016

Tags: | | | | | |


Related News

RELIABLE ENVIRONMENT : GULEN INSPIRED SCHOOLS

Gulen Inspired Schools provides an environment where they trust in a clear long-term gain. One of the main factors behind the success of these schools is commitment and dedications that have been presented by teachers and managers. One common characteristic of the staff is the commitment to the common goal to make a positive impact to the society.

EP says Erdoğan’s ‘treason’ accusation ‘totally unacceptable’

Two of the most senior politicians of the European Parliament (EP) have strongly criticized Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s “treason” remarks against the Taraf daily and its reporter Mehmet Baransu, calling the prime minister’s comments unacceptable. Hannes Swoboda, the leader of the second-largest group in the EP, said he was “gravely concerned” by Erdoğan’s remarks and the subsequent cases filed against the daily and its reporter Baransu.

Turkish schools praised by Uganda’s education minister

Ugandan Education Minister Jessica Alupo commented on the success of Galaxy International Schools in Uganda during a recent trip to Turkey. Alupo stressed that the five Galaxy International Schools, which were opened by Turkish entrepreneurs and operate across Uganda with nearly 1,500 students, encourage pupils to grow as individuals.

Turkey’s Maarif schools to be funded by Saudi and IDB money

The Maarif Foundation, established by the Turkish government in order to compete with Turkish schools abroad established by Gülen movement sympathizers, has received approval from Saudi authorities and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) for financial support for Maarif schools abroad, a Turkish news portal reported on Friday.

Black propaganda websites granted legal shield

Circles close to the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government have been accused of conducting a large-scale black propaganda war against the Hizmet movement, which was inspired by Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen; media outlets close to the movement; and journalists critical of the government.

Gülen interview received high praise from intellectuals, NGOs, politicians

The in-depth interview with Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, who has inspired the popular civic and social movement called Hizmet, and was published this week in a five-part series by both Zaman and Today’s Zaman was received well by people from all walks of life including intellectuals, academics, politicians and human rights activists.

Latest News

Turkish inmate jailed over alleged Gülen links dies of heart attack in prison

Message of Condemnation and Condolences for Mass Shooting at Bondi Beach, Sydney

Media executive Hidayet Karaca marks 11th year in prison over alleged links to Gülen movement

ECtHR faults Turkey for convictions of 2,420 applicants over Gülen links in follow-up to 2023 judgment

New Book Exposes Erdoğan’s “Civil Death Project” Targeting the Hizmet Movement

European Human Rights Treaty Faces Legal And Political Tests

ECtHR rejects Turkey’s appeal, clearing path for retrials in Gülen-linked cases

Erdoğan’s Civil Death Project’ : The ‘politicide’ spanning more than a decade

Fethullah Gülen’s Vision and the Purpose of Hizmet

In Case You Missed It

Erdogan caught off guard in latest political crisis

Turkish School Officially Opens in Rwanda

Gülen movement reiterates principles, underlines transparency in statement

Observers: Charging Zaman’s editor-in-chief based on 2 columns, 1 report is ‘unlawful nonsense’

Fethullah Gulen: I am not hiding and not on the run

Hizmet, politics and political parties

Swoboda says HSYK legislation an outright attack on rule of law

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News