Nigerian groups praise Turks for resisting coup

By Rafiu Ajakaye

LAGOS, Nigeria (AA) – Top Muslim civil society organizations in Nigeria have commended the Turkish people for rejecting a recent coup attempt aimed at ousting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan from power.

Disu Kamor, executive chairman of the Muslim Public Affairs Center, told Anadolu Agency: "The coup plotters' activity was an illegal action against the democratically elected government of Turkey and its people.

“As can be seen, the coup attempt was roundly defeated by the societal and political consensus of Turkish citizens who had lived through the consequences and pains of past coups."

The groups also lambasted “Western hypocrisy” in the wake of the coup attempt.

Ishaq Lakin Akintola, a university professor of Islamic studies and director of Muslim Rights Concern, said: "America, for instance, initially called it an ‘uprising’, even when the whole world saw the military roll out tanks, targeting institutions of democracy.

"It is clear that the West is not serious about democracy. They are merely paying lip service to democracy and the rule of law when it suits them. We saw their attitude to the coup in Egypt where they supported [plotters] against the elected government. They supported the military in Egypt because it was an Islamic country," he added.

Sherifah Yusuf-Ajibade, coordinator of the Believing Muslim Women (Al-Mu’minaat) Social Advocacy Project, echoed similar sentiment:

"Our advice to Erdogan is: watch your back. All your so-called allies, east and west, kept a deafening silence throughout the duration of the coup attempt. Allahu Musta'an [Allah is the ultimate helper]," she said.