One Nigerian student affected by the deportation, Rukkaya Usman, said the Turkish government did not give a reason for the action.
Usman, a final year student of political science and international relations at the University of Melikseh said that she arrived in Turkey at 8am on September 26, but was prevented from proceeding to her institution.
The student was detained at the airport with some other Nigerians for about 10 hours after which she was funnelled into an aircraft for a flight back to Nigeria.
“As I got to the airport, at the immigration; they (immigration) collected my passport and resident permit. They started to ask me questions like: ‘what are you studying?’ ‘What’s your father’s name?’ They took my passport. This was on September 26. I asked what was happening. But they said they didn’t know, that it was a new law, that they were sending me back to my country,” she narrated.
“They said if I had any questions I should go to my embassy and ask. I was put in a room. There were about seven other people. We were locked up in the room; there were cameras. We were not allowed to talk to anyone. I was told that my next flight was at 6pm. I asked for my passport, but they said I would get it when I get to my country.
“They took me to the plane, and they watched me as I boarded the aircraft.”
The Turkish government is believed to be intent on deporting all Nigerian students at universities linked to Fethullah Gulen’s Hizmet movement.
Gulen is an Islamic cleric whom President Recep Erdogan of Turkey considers as his strongest rival.
After the botched July 15 coup, Erdogan launched a massive crackdown on the investments of Gulen’s followers.
The Turkish government had in August, sent a request to the Nigerian government to shut down schools in Nigeria linked to Gulen’s movement. The demand was refused by the Nigerian government which demanded evidence that the schools were involved in the coup. None was provided.
The ongoing arrest and deportation of Nigerian students in Turkey may result in a diplomatic row between both countries who have otherwise been partners on trade and security issues. It is hoped an amicable solution is found soonest.
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