Former Sierra Leone President Ernest Koroma to arrive Nigeria on asylum

Former President Ernest Koroma of Sierra Leone is scheduled to arrive in Nigeria on Thursday.

He will be seeking political asylum in the country.

Koroma has been implicated in a failed coup d’etat in his home country.

The announcement of his arrival was made in a public notice signed by Sierra Leonean Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah.

The notice specified that Koroma is facing charges of treason, misprision of treason, and harboring.

The notice said that “On Wednesday, January 3, 2024, in front of Magistrate Santigie Bangura at Magistrate Court #2, the Republic of Sierra Leone charged Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma for his alleged role in the failed coup of November 26, 2023.”

Despite these charges, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has secured political asylum for the ex-President in Nigeria.

A letter by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Alieu Touray, addressed to the present President of Sierra Leone, Julius Bio, under the headline: “Temporarily Relocation of Former President to Abuja” requested for the former President to be allowed to travel to Nigeria.

A letter dated January 2, 2024, was sent to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria, President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana, and President Macky Sall of Sierra Leone, informing them of the asylum arrangement.