Qur’anic Reciters of Nigeria Raise Alarm Over Turkey’s Espionage


Date posted: February 18, 2017

Taofeek Lawal

The centre for Qur’anic reciters of Nigeria has raised the alarm over alleged plans by the Turkish government to register a non-governmental organisation in Nigeria, Ma’arif foundation, which will among other things, be used as an espionage agency.

The Kano-based Islamic group also cautioned the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia against its planned involvement with the government of President Recep Erdogan of Turkey in the setting up of the NGO in some Muslim countries, saying such a body could end up as a vehicle for spreading intolerance and extremism in the world.

The general secretary and CEO of the center, Sheikh Goni Sanusi Abubakar, in a statement issued in Abuja, yesterday, alleged that beyond its declared mission, the incorporation of the Ma’arif foundation in Nigeria will take over foreign investments of Turkish nationals with whom the government of Turkey politically disagrees with, pointing out that though it may appear harmless on the surface, with the stated intention of granting scholarships to Muslims from poor homes to gain acceptance, its real intentions were beyond that.

“It was courtesy of this culture of intolerance that clerics in Turkey instigated Muslim youths to rise against Christians and ensure Christmas and New Year were not celebrated in that country. This led to the massacre on New Year’s Eve in Istanbul, with tens of innocent people losing their lives. This, clearly, is against the teaching of Islam, a religion of peace, who’s Holy Prophet embraced Christians and lived in absolute peace with them.

“In Prophet Muhammad’s Treaty with Christians, he instructed Muslims to regard Christians as their own, protect their places of worship and guarantee them peaceful life.

“If Nigeria allows Ma’arif or any such group in whatever nomenclature into Nigeria, chances are that the culture of intolerance that will be induced could well make Boko Haram a child’s play. This may sound far-fetched, but then 10 years ago, nobody thought Boko Haram was going to grow to become the big monster it has become.

“Things like this should never be taken for granted. What Nigeria needs is peace, not any dubious group coming through the backdoor to cause anarchy by exploiting the fractious social fault lines in the country,” the statement noted.

The center also accused Turkey of undermining Nigeria’s sovereignty by engaging in acts of espionage through Diyanet, the country’s directorate of religious affairs. It alleged that on the directives of the Turkish government, Diyanet has been engaging in spying activities through some Imams in Nigeria, Germany and 36 other countries.

“Whereas this criminal activity is purportedly aimed at tracking the activities of the followers of US-based Islamic cleric, Fethullah Gulen, chances are that Turkey will leverage on that fact to partake in other acts of espionage that may undermine or threaten our national interest.

“Hurriyet Daily News, a major newspaper that fully supports the policies and actions of Turkish President Erdogan, published this disturbing news on its website: www.hurriyetdailynews.com. Though the publication is now almost a month old, the Turkish government has not issued a rebuttal, which means the story is true.

Germany, being one of the countries spied on, is not taking the matter lightly. It has since commissioned an investigation into the matter. Nigeria and other African countries mentioned in the report should waste no time in doing same.

“It is our hope that the Nigerian authorities will take this warning seriously and act with the needed dispatch, before it gets late. We simply cannot afford another insurgency, which actions of these countries is bound to result to (God forbid),” Abubakar emphasised.


Related News

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

ISIS ‘Infiltrates’ Erdogan’s Maarif Foundation

 

Source: Leadership , February 13, 2017


Related News

Businessmen voice frustration over smear campaign against Hizmet

The Akşehir Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association (AKSİAD) has condemned an ongoing defamation campaign being conducted against the Hizmet movement inspired by Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, calling on government officials to refrain from the hate speech and polarizing rhetoric that are damaging the society.

Who is escalating tensions?

Whenever someone questions the government’s performance or flaws in Turkey, the Gülen movement is put under the spotlight. And whenever there is a mass protest, the Gezi figures and Alevis are accused of being behind it.

Turkish people upset that democratic progress is being reversed: Islamic scholar Gülen

The Turkish people are upset that democratic progress has gone into reverse over the last two years, Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen has said, speaking in his first interview since the graft probes that have damaged the government and widened the rift between his movement and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

Hira magazine changes perception of Turkey in Arab world

The Arab world is impressed and touched by Fethullah Gülen’s recommendation that the name of the magazine would be Hira. In regards to the name, Savaş says: “Hira was born strong and mature; every issue features pieces from the Arab world. Every writer is renowned and is popular in his country.

Islamic Renaissance in the Contemporary World

Dr. Muzaffar K. Awan April 2006 On November 12th and 13th, 2005 during a two-day international symposium at Rice University in Houston, Texas, I personally witnessed a Turkish Muslim intellectual’s contributions to the welfare of humanity being appreciated at the helm of an academic attention, and through debates of global scale. The symposium was attended […]

Erdoğan’s war against Hizmet: Step by step

Turkish prosecutors carried out a number of arrests and raids on the morning of 17th December 2013 as part of a series of on-going corruption investigations. PM Erdogan’s response has been to call this a coup attempt against his government orchestrated by a coalition of foreign and domestic enemies. Erdogan claims that the ‘domestic pawn’ of this plot is the Hizmet movement. His number one election campaign promise: to crush and annihilate the treacherous Hizmet movement.

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

Does the Gülen movement securitize the Kurdish question?

An Experience of Co-Existence: Panel on the Example of Istanbul and Şanlıurfa

In Greece, Turks tell of lives full of fear in Recep Erdogan’s Turkey

“Sharing Coexistence Experiences” panel took place in Italy

President Obama sends message to Gulen-inspired international cultural festival

Erdoğan’s personal propaganda tool, the MGK

Report reveals closure of prep schools against Constitution

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News