As the post-coup tension between Turkey and Nigeria increases, Kano-based prominent Islamic Group, the Centre for Qur’anic Reciters Nigeria, has accused Ankara of mounting espionage activities targeted at undermining Nigeria’s sovereignty and taking over foreign investments of Turkish nationals in the country.

It alleged that Turkey is engaging in acts of espionage through Diyanet, the country’s Directorate of Religious Affairs on the directives of the Turkish government and Diyanet has been doing this through some Imams in Nigeria.

According to the group, “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 nation-al interest.”

The group further called on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to be wary of getting involved with the government of President Recep Erdogan of Turkey, alleging the desire of Turkey to partner Saudi Arabia in birthing an NGO to be named as Ma’arif Foundation in some Muslim countries could end up spreading intolerance and extremism in the world.

In a statement issued in Abuja yesterday, signed by Sheikh Goni Sanusi Abubakar, the General Secretary and CEO of the Centre, the group is particularly concerned that “the government of Turkey has concluded plans to bring Ma’arif Foundation to Nigeria, with the dubious objective of taking over foreign in-vestments of Turkish nationals that the government of Turkey politically disagrees with.”

According to the group, “On the surface, Maarif is going to be made to look harmless, with the stated intention of granting scholarships to Muslims from poor homes to lure unsuspecting Nigerians and gain acceptance.”

In the statement, the Qur’anic Centre stated that “Turkey wants the funding of Ma’arif Foundation to be taken over by the Islamic Development Bank and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and entrench the extreme concept of Wahabism, with all the implication of such to spread of intolerance and possibly terrorism in Nigeria and the countries to be affected.”

It further stated 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 whose Holy Prophet embraced Christians and lived in ab-solute 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.”

Further, according to the group, “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 farfetched, 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 back-door to cause anarchy by exploiting the fractious social fault lines in the country.”

•Text courtesy of The AUTHORITY.

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