Islamic Group Warns Turkish President, Recep Erdogan, On His Visit to Nigeria

The president of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is reportedly coming to Nigeria today. But the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has warned President Muhammadu Buhari to be cautious with Erdogan during his state visit. MURIC accused Erdogan of gross human rights violations in Turkey.

MURIC leader, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, said Erdogan orchestrated the arrest, torture, imprisonment, and political killings of members of the Hismet Movement in Turkey. He said the Turkish president has nothing to offer Nigeria and that any bilateral deal with him is certain to be regrettable.

“He cooked up a phantom coup on 15th July, 2016 to justify sweeping changes to the constitution and he arrogated extensive powers to himself as president,” MURIC said. “What followed was arbitrary arrest, torture, political killings, long imprisonment of opposition figures and critics, particularly members of the Hizmet Movement.”

MURIC also accused Erdogan of confiscating the properties and even travel documents of prominent Hizmet members; adding that those who left the country were disallowed from returning. The Muslim organization said the Turkish president is only afraid of the growing influence of Hizmet in his country.

“Erdogan also uses his diplomats in Nigeria to label members of the Hizmet as terrorists,” MURIC stated. “This is a very wicked attempt to push Nigerian security agencies to arrest, intimidate and unduely punish innocent refugees and asylum seekers. Members of their families whom they left behind in Turkey are also not allowed to travel out to unite with their loved ones in Nigeria.”

MURIC credits Hizmet with building primary and secondary schools in Nigeria as well as constructing hospitals and universities. The Muslim group however failed to list the names of the schools and hospitals constructed by the foreign movement in Nigeria. Akintola did not also mention places where Hizmet drilled boreholes for water use in Nigeria. But emphasized that Hizmet is a humanitarian society that should be hailed within and outside Turkey.

“We urge President Muhammadu Buhari to be wary of the antics of the Turkish president as they both engage in business deals for their two countries,” Akintola wrote. “Erdogan is the modern fox of the Balkans, the Otto Von Bismarck of the Mediterranean and the Jekyll and Hyde of the Black Sea. Erdogan is not to be trusted. There is no scintilla of humanity in him.”