President of Turkey, Recep Erdogan has said that the terrorists who tried to remove him through a coup in 2016 are still active in Nigeria.
He said this on Wednesday at a joint press conference with Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari, on the occasion of his two-day official visit to the country.
Erdogan had in 2016 accused allies of renowned cleric, Fethullah Gulen, who own Turkish schools and hospitals across Nigeria, of sponsoring the coup.
Mr. Hakan Cakil, the Turkish envoy in Nigeria, had at the time called on Buhari to close the Turkish schools and hospitals in Nigeria belonging to a group of private Turkish investors who are inspired by the philosophy of the Hizmet movement.
But the Nigerian government rejected the proposal, causing tension between Nigeria and Turkey.
In what appears to be a reconciliatory move, Erdogan on Wednesday told Buhari that his administration would share intelligence with Nigerian authorities.
Erdogan said: “As Turkey, we have been closely monitoring the development in Nigeria, our brotherly and friendly nation. The terrorist organisations, the armed gangs and the marine vendors are continuously active in Nigeria and the Nigerian authorities are continuously fighting them.
“In order to cooperate further in the field of military operations, defence and security, we are doing everything that will be available. We are ready to share our capabilities, every extending capacity as Turkey with Nigeria, especially in the field of defence, industry and security which are being praised by the globe.
“The sensitivity we show in fighting terrorism, I hope will be reciprocated by our Nigerian brothers and sister and our counterparts. The perpetrators of the heinous failed coup of July the 15 FETO are still very active in Nigeria. And we are continually sharing our intelligence with Nigerian interlocutors and authorities.”