The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has dished out a strong word of caution to Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, over his leadership style of prosecuting opposition leader back home in Turkey.

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Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to land in Nigeria today, October 18 on a state visit.

The president is set to meet with President Buhari and tighten their diplomatic ties and pen down agreements over some business deals.

 However, the director of MURIC, Prof. Ishaq Akintola did not seem plreased with the visit of the president as he accused Erdogan of arbitrary arrest, torture, political killings, long imprisonment of opposition figures.

In a statement released by Prof. Ishaq Akintola, he lashed out at the leader or his autocratic style of leadership.

The statement read: “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.

“Travelling documents of key members of Hizmet were seized, and their properties were confiscated. They were thrown in jail in their thousands without fair trial. Members of the group who were outside Turkey were disallowed from returning.

“Though Hizmet is not a political movement that could threaten his position, yet like all dictators and tyrants, Erdogan was envious of the group because the latter had become extremely popular.

“Erdogan uses its diplomats in Nigeria to haunt Turkish citizens and members of the Hizmet Movement who are rendering humanitarian services in the country. They were declared persona non grata in Turkey and disallowed to enter their country of origin. Their travelling documents were seized, thereby denying them right of return.

“Erdogan also uses his diplomats in Nigeria to label members of the Hizmet as terrorists. This is a very wicked attempt to push Nigerian security agencies to arrest, intimidate and unduely punish innocent refugees and asylum seekers.

Source; NaijaOnPoint.com

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