A former President of Sierra Leone, Ernest Koroma, will arrive Nigeria on Thursday on political asylum.
Koroma who was found culpable following investigations into a botched coup d’etat in his country, would be spending time in Nigeria after the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, secured him an asylum.
His arrival in Nigeria was announced in a signed public notice by Sierra Leonean Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah.
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.”
Koroma’s charges according to the notice include treason, misprision of treason, and two counts of harbouring.
The Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, has, however, 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.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria, Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana and Macky Sall of Sierra Leone were copied in the letter written on January 2, 2024.