By Innocent Odoh
The Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Hakan Cakil, has said that last year’s coup attempt in his country was a well-organized terrorist attack by extremist groups, which tried to forcefully overthrow the Turkish government and assassinate Turkish President and Prime Minister.
To commemorate the one year anniversary of the July 15, 2016 coup attempt, Ambassador Cakil told a news conference in Abuja on Friday that his country had a traumatic experience from the coup as the terrorists bombed the Turkish parliament and killed nearly 300 people and injured over 2000 others.
Recollecting the incident, the envoy noted that the nation woke up on that fateful day to see some people in army uniform driving military tanks around the major cities of the country, especially Ankara and Istanbul, firing and killing hundreds of people. He added that such unprecedented terror attack visited upon the people still leaves them devastated as they grapple with the trauma.
“Last year on the 15 of July, there was a couple attempt, 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.
“Actually, it was not a typical military coup attempt or military putsch; it was a kind of terrorist uprising. Also we can classify it as a major terrorist attack to the sovereignty of Turkey.
He said further that the Turkish government holds the exiled Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen responsible for the attacks, adding that the US-based cleric used both military and civilian collaborators within and outside the country to carry out such treasonable act.
He stated that Turkey is marking the anniversary to honour the victims of the attack describing them as martyrs. He said that his country is also trying to heal the wounds inflicted by the terrorist adding that thousands of the culprits have been detained.
The envoy also used the occasion to appreciate President Muhammadu Buhari and the people of Nigeria for their support during the period even as he lauded the smooth bilateral relations between Nigeria and Turkey. He said further that over 100 Nigerian companies are operating in Turkey while about 75 Turkish firms are doing business in Nigeria.
He stressed that as part of Turkey’s efforts to develop Nigeria’s education sector, it has been given scholarship to Nigerian students in Turkey. He said that about 60 Nigerian students would be given scholarship this year.
