The Foreign Ministry of the West African nation of Sierra Leone has agreed to turn over the four FETÖ schools in the country to the Turkey Maarif Foundation (TMV), a body founded to support education and academic activity abroad.

TMV Deputy Chairman Ambassador Dr. Hasan Yavuz told Anadolu Agency that Turkey's Accra Ambassador Nesrin Beyazıt and TMV Africa Board Expert İbrahim Baran had been in contact with Ghana and Sierra Leone on the issue of FETÖ schools in the two countries.

As a result of the meetings with Sierra Leone President Ernest Bai Koromo and Foreign Minister Samura Kamara, the country's foreign ministry gave written indication that they would turn over the schools to the TMV.

Yavuz reported that President Koroma said, "We will never shelter any element that commits terrorist crimes against the people and state of Turkey. We have canceled all permits for these institutions. It is our desire for TMV to reorganize our country from primary school to university." The TMV schools plan to open their doors in September, Yavuz added.

During a previous meeting with top-level administrators and ministers in Ghana, Yavuz said the country had also showed legal documents relating to the FETÖ organization's activities.

Sierra Leone is the latest in a string of African countries to agree to Turkey's demands over FETÖ schools. Previously the Republic of Congo, Somalia, Guineau, Niger and Sudan turned over FETÖ schools the TMV, while Burundi, Senegal, Mauritania, Chad, Gabon, Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, and Madagascar have signed agreements about turning over of FETÖ schools their respective countries. Djibouti and Sao Tome have also signed agreements for the opening of Maarif Schools.