Reps urge Federal Govt to intervene in Nigerian students’ detention in Turkey


Date posted: October 4, 2016

Abuja –  The House of Representatives on Tuesday urged the Federal Government to quickly intervene and ensure the rescue of 50 Nigerian students detained by Turkish government.

This followed the unanimous adoption of a motion under matters of urgent public importance moved by Rep. Solomon Maren (PDP-Plateau).

Moving the motion, Maren expressed worry over continued detention of the students over alleged link with terrorist group accused of masterminding the failed coup in Turkey.

It would be recalled that 50 Nigerian students were on September arrested and detained in Istanbul Airport on arrival to pursue their education.

He urged the Federal Government to explore the diplomatic channels to rescue the students as well as conduct an investigation into the alleged link with terrorism.

According to Maren, the students were being forced into signing documents for deportation, forced to pay penalties on the allegation of entering the country illegally, humiliated and abused.

“There is need for quick intervention so that the children will be rescued. “In this regard, the Federal Government should deploy all the diplomatic channels to rescue the detained Nigerian students

“If urgent steps were not taken to checkmate this ugly trend of humiliation, abuse and extortion, these students may have their career truncated thereby leading them into crime and destruction of human resources required for the growth of the country, ’’ Maren said.

Contributing to the motion, Rep. Nnanna Igbokwe (PDP-Imo) suggested that House Committees on Education, Foreign Affairs and Interior be involved in the matter to engender holistic investigation.

Igbokwe said that the arrest may be connected to refusal of Nigerian government to close down all Turkish schools operating in Nigeria.
Similarly, Chairman House Committee on Tertiary Education, Rep. Aminu Suleiman described the action as vendetta.

According to Suleiman, the Turkish Ambassador in Nigeria had requested the Nigerian authorities to close down 17 Turkish schools in Nigeria for alleged link with Hizmet movement.

“The government rejected the call due to lack of concrete evidence linking the school or their proprietors with the failed coup,’’ he said.

Ruling on the motion, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara referred the matter to Committees on Diaspora, Education and Interior to investigate and report back in one week.

Source: Nigerian Observer , October 4, 2016

Tags: | | | | | |


Related News

Turkish school declared most successful in Denmark

US President Barack Obama has hosted students from Turkish schools operating in the US several times, congratulating them for their success in many endeavors, including project competitions. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen also received students from a Turkish high school in his country, after they won several medals in a science olympiad.

Turkish schools in Afghanistan won 147 medals this year

Afghan-Turkish schools are source of pride for the country as they won 147 medals this year at international Science olympiads. They won 75 medals last year. The Education Minister made a speech underlining that Turkey had always helped his country in education. He said, “Today, this ceremony’s purpose is to celebrate the efforts the students show and the high quality education these schools provide.”

At least 275 including elderly woman detained over Gulen links over past day

At least 275 people were detained over their alleged links to the Gulen movement, according to Turkish media. Among the accusations raised against the detainees were to have raised money for Turkey’s post-coup victims, whether be relatives of those earlier arrested or those dismissed from their jobs.

Ankara-supplied clerics spy on Turkish-Australian communities

Turkish imams preaching in Melbourne and Sydney mosques have been instructed to spy on Australian supporters of Fethulah Gulen, an exiled cleric blamed by President Recep ­Erdogan for the failed July coup bid in Ankara.

From Islamophobia to ‘Hizmet-phobia’

An important person who was praising an intellectual in Northwest Africa said, “I wish we [Turkey] had such scholars with far-reaching foresight.” He was right, because the intellectual that he mentioned provides an excellent example for others in his works and lifestyle. But he was also wrong in a sense, because we have several scholars […]

Hate Speech is Undermining Turkey’s Fragile Democracy

Many TV viewers could not believe their ears upon hearing the terms “blood sucking vampires, leeches, traitors, spies, worse than Shiites, and assassins” uttered by then Turkish prime minister Erdogan in his political rallies.

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

Deputy Prime Minister Arınç praises Turkish schools in Nigeria

Kenneth Hunter on Fethullah Gulen and Hizmet Movement

Pak-Turk schools issue: Foundation moves court for fear of closure

South Korean NGO: It’s hard to make sense of what is being done to Kimse Yok Mu

Complainant says he was ‘fooled,’ apologizes to suspects in trial targeting Gülen followers

Overshadowing the graft probe

An Ideal, Dynamic, Democratic Education

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News