Turkish Embassy commemorates first anniversary of coup attempt

By Ochiaka Ugwu

The Turkish Embassy in Nigeria has commemorated the first anniversary of the failed coup attempt in Turkey which claimed several lives and wounded many others.
Speaking to newsmen in Abuja at the weekend to commemorate the first anniversary of the coup, Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Hakan Gakil stated that some terrorists decided to truncate their nation’s democracy by staging a coup which claimed over 250 lives and left many wounded when the coupists bombed their National Assembly building.
Mr, Gakil who also refuted claims that some Nigerian students in Turkey are under custody in connection to the failed coup allegedly sponsored by a popular Islamic cleric, Fethuller Gullen, also denied deporting any Nigerian student at any time, noting that the four Nigerian citizens deported were not students but persons who tried to gain entry to Turkey illegally.
Regarding to the news in the media about the detention of Nigerian students in Turkey, Mr. Gakil said there are no Nigerian students under custody in Turkey. The Turkish police have not detained any Nigerian students. No Nigerian students were deported from Turkey’.
It also stated that, Turkey and Nigeria have been enjoying very cordial relations and Turkish Government attaches particular importance to the enhancement of the relations with Nigeria in every field.
It said, ‘More than three thousand Nigerian students have been studying in different Turkish universities with about 29 of them granted new scholarship for the 2016-17 academic year by the Turkish Government.
‘Allocations of new scholarships to the Nigerian students constitutes clear example of Turkey’s willingness of developing relations with Nigeria in the field of education” he added.
He said the Turkish Embassy in Nigeria have been giving scholarship to Nigerian students as part of the country’s collaboration to develop Nigeria’s education sector.
”Last year on the 15th of July, there was an unsuccessful coup attempt in Turkey.
Unfortunately, this coup attempt claimed the lives of 250 Turkish citizens and much more severely wounded.
”We are still struggling to overcome this threat to our country
because it was a major trauma for the Turkish people,” he said.
He described the incident as the worst act of terrorism as the plotters made use of lethal weapon and fighter jets, adding that they attempted to topple the government by bombing the Turkish National Assembly.

from peoples daily