Nigeria says asked by Turkey to extradite over 1000 people


Date posted: October 24, 2017

Turkey seeks extradition of 1000 people in Nigeria as part of its post-coup crackdown against the Gulen movement, local media reported on Monday.

Turkish authorities have asked their Nigerian counterparts to extradite more than 1000 people over their links to the Gulen movement while the African country denied the request, according to media.

“There was the request for the extradition of some of the Turks in Nigeria who have been given asylum and recognized by the United Nations as political refugees and the Turkish government requested that we extradite some of them,” Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama told reporters over the weekend. The request was revealed during Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari’s 4-day visit to Turkey.

“There was also the request that the schools and hospitals established by Gülen Movement should be closed in Nigeria. They now labelled Fethulah’s [movement] as a terrorist organization.”

Following media reports over whether Nigeria would honor the request, the ministry underlined in a statement that the African country guarantees full protection for legal residents.

“The attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been drawn to some media reports credited to the Honourable Minister, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, implying that 1000 Turkish nationals face extradition from Nigeria at the request of the Turkish government. …For the avoidance of doubt, the ministry wishes to state in clear terms that no such agreement was entered into. Every individual of whatever nationality, legally residing in Nigeria is guaranteed full protection under Nigerian and international laws.”

Turkish government blames the Gulen movement for the July 15, 2016 coup attempt while the latter denies involvement.

More than 126,000 people have been detained over ties to the movement in Turkey so far while President Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier called on foreign governments to punish Gulen followers in their own countries. Only a small group of countries, among them Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Georgia, Pakistan and Myanmar, have complied with the request and extradited dozens of Gulenists back to Turkey.

Source: Turkey Purge , October 24, 2017

Tags: | | | |


Related News

As Gulen movement contracts in Africa, worry over who will fill the vacuum

Abdallah Kheri, who in Kenya heads the Islamic Research and Education Trust, worries that shuttering Gulen schools and other institutions could leave a vacuum that the so-called Islamic State will seek to fill. “Closing down the institutions would definitely grant gains to the fundamentalists,” he said. In Kenya, the Rev. Wilybard Lagho, Mombasa Roman Catholic diocese vicar general, said he would lament the demise of Gulen schools.

Fate of preparatory courses

Zaman’s Hüseyin Gülerce denied allegations that there is tension between the government and Hizmet movement due to government’s steps to bring an end to these preparatory courses, saying that Hizmet does not own all preparatory course schools in the country. What bothers members of Hizmet is that the government has not given a clear or reasonable explanation as to why they are taking these steps, Gülerce said.

Turkish schools important for northern Iraq’s future

ALİHAN HASANOĞLU , ARBIL Dlawer Abdul-Aziz Ala’Aldeen, minister of higher education of the Kurdish Regional Administration in northern Iraq, has expressed appreciation for Turkish schools in the region, explaining that they have helped improve economic, trade and political relations between Turks and the region. A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the construction of a campus […]

Math Brings the Gold to Macedonian Turkish College

AHMET GEZER Yahya Kemal College in Macedonia has won a gold medal in an International Mathematics Project Competition. The traditional International Mathematics Project Competition organized was organized in Almati, the capital of Kazakhstan. Two students of Yahya Kemal College, Krenar Muhidini and Semir Elezovich, represented Macedonia in the competition. Fifty-six projects from 21 countries competed […]

4 people trying to escape persecution in Turkey missing after boat capsizes in Evros River

A woman and her three children went missing after a boat carrying several Turkish asylum seekers who fled Turkey due to an ongoing government crackdown on followers of the Gülen movement capsized in the Evros River along the Turkey-Greece border on Wednesday night, Euronews Turkish reported.

Kalashnikov-carrying police raid Gülen-inspired girls’ dormitory

Police officers carrying Kalashnikov rifles conducted a raid at a girls’ school dormitory in eastern Van province on Sunday, a move that is seen as part of an ongoing government-orchestrated operation targeting the faith-based Gülen movement, popularly known as the 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

Who wants peace?

Guests Rub Elbows With Senators, Mayors At 2012 Greenville Dialogue Dinner

What is lacking in democratization package is democracy itself

TUSİAD chairman says does not see ‘parallel structure’ within state

Foundation gives to poor students

Bosnians Protest at Student’s Arrest in Turkish Crackdown

C. African president: Turkish school will have no trouble in my country

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News