The President of Chad, Idris Debi, has announced that his country would hand over the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ)-run schools to Turkey's Maarif Foundation (TMV) in December.
According to a statement shared on the Chadian presidency's website, Debi recently hosted a delegation from the Maarif Foundation, including its board members and deputy chairman of the foundation, Ambassador Hasan Yavuz.
During the meeting, Yavuz shared a message by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan with the Chadian president. In his message, Erdoğan stressed the importance of increasing cooperation between the two countries.
In its statement, the Chad presidency added that the transfer of FETÖ-linked schools in the country to the Maarif Foundation will be completed by Dec. 18 while individuals linked to the terrorist group will also be expelled from the country.
The meeting also discussed Turkey's investment plans in the country.
Maarif Foundation strengthens ties with Nigeria
Officials of the Turkish Maarif Foundation were also in Nigeria to strengthen ties after President Muhammadu Buhari visited Ankara in October.
Cahit Bağcı, a trustee of the foundation, said they met government officials and Buhari's aides since arriving in the country Monday.
The delegation hopes to forge close links in education, infrastructure, trade, agriculture, health and tourism, Bağcı told Anadolu Agency (AA).
"We arrived in Abuja, Nigeria, to improve our bilateral relations," Bağcı said.
"President Buhari and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had declared in Ankara that both sides were willing to develop ties in all sectors. I hope this first visit will help in that direction. We have had several meetings with ministers, advisers to the president and some Nongovernmental organization, with a view to developing relations in the education sector," he added.
İsmail Tamer, a lawmaker who heads the Turkey-Nigeria Parliamentary Friendship Group, also traveled to Nigeria. He said negotiations had begun with Nigerian officials about tackling FETÖ in the country. Bağcı said Turkey does not recognize FETÖ-linked schools in Nigeria.
"Young people and children who graduate from these schools would not have the opportunity to study in Turkey," he said, adding that: "We do not close schools, we want to take over these instructions so as to manage them better."
The Maarif Foundation is a not-for-profit state-funded body that runs schools outside Turkey. It has taken over schools around the world previously run by FETÖ, which was behind last year's defeated coup in Turkey.
A report by Turkey's National Intelligence Organization (MİT) revealed in May that FETÖ controlled around 2,800 schools and educational institutions, companies, foundations, media outlets, NGOs, hospitals as well as language and culture centers in 170 countries before the coup attempt.
Since its inception, the Maarif Foundation has taken control of 32 FETÖ-linked schools in Somalia, Guinea, Niger, Sudan and the Congo, according to Education Minister İsmet Yılmaz.