MURIC to Erdogan: Stop Meddling in Nigerian Affairs, Respect Sovereignty

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to halt what it described as unwarranted interference in the operations of Turkish organizations in Nigeria and to desist from making baseless allegations.

This reaction comes after the Turkish government issued a warning to Nigerian authorities, cautioning them against alleged Gulenist terrorist activities within the country.

In a statement released on Monday, MURIC’s Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, dismissed the warning, asserting that Turkish-affiliated groups in Nigeria are primarily engaged in education and humanitarian work, contributing positively to the country’s development.

“The Turkish government is raising a false alarm,” Akintola stated. “President Erdogan is haunted by his own fears and is projecting them onto others. Nigeria is a sovereign nation, not a puppet state of Turkiye. We cannot allow ourselves to be manipulated to serve Erdogan’s repressive political agenda.”

He criticized Erdogan for allegedly stifling opposition in his own country and emphasized that Nigeria, as a democratic state, will not aid in such suppression.

“We commend the Nigerian government for rejecting these baseless insinuations,” Akintola added. “Erdogan should leave the followers of the late Sheikh Gulen in Nigeria alone and stop spinning conspiracy theories. Nigeria is not fooled by his tactics.”