President Bola Tinubu has offered temporary asylum in Abuja to the former President of Sierra Leone, Ernest Bai Koroma.
The Sierra Leonean leader is facing treason accusations from his successor, Julius Maada Bio.
A letter dated 2 January 2024, with reference number ECW/PC/DC/2024-001/oat, signed by Omar Alieu Touray and directed to President Bio of Sierra Leone, confirms that the former President has agreed to be hosted in Nigeria.
On Tuesday, the former President of Sierra Leone, Ernest Bai Koroma, was charged with four counts of treason related to an attempted coup and other offences.
Koroma served as President for 11 years until 2018, when the current President, Julius Maada Bio, was elected.
The letter read: “I refer to the mission to Freetown on 23 December of the high-level ECOWAS delegation led by His Excellency, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana, and His Excellency, Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal.
“I am pleased to inform Your Excellency that as part of the agreement reached during the mission, the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has offered to host His Excellency Ernest Bai Koroma, former President of Sierra Leone, in Abuja on a temporary basis. The former President has accepted the offer to be hosted in Nigeria.
“Subject to your approval, arrangements will be made to fly former President Koroma out of Freetown on Thursday, 4 January 2024. He will be accompanied by his office manager and personal assistant.
“In addition to seeking Your Excellency’s approval for the departure from Sierra Leone of the former president on or around the date indicated above, I would like to seek your confirmation that once President Koroma leaves Sierra Leone, the following arrangements (as agreed during the mission) will be put in place.”
According to Touray, the arrangements outlined were as follows: the government of Sierra Leone would cease all legal and administrative actions against Koroma; Koroma would continue to receive his benefits as a former President; the government of Sierra Leone would ensure the security of his residences in various locations within the country; and there is contemplation by the government of Sierra Leone to reimburse the former President for medical and travel expenses incurred.
However, Sierra Leone’s Foreign Minister, Timothy Kabba, informed the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) that the government did not endorse the suggestion to relocate Koroma, characterizing it as a proposal from the ECOWAS Commission President.
Attempts by West African leaders to facilitate an arrangement for Koroma to go into exile in Nigeria, contingent on dropping the charges, were made.
According to the BBC, Koroma had expressed agreement with the deal brokered by the regional group in a letter.
In November of 2023, turmoil erupted when armed individuals raided a military arsenal and multiple prisons in Freetown, resulting in the liberation of nearly 2,000 inmates.
Subsequently, Koroma faced four counts of treason in relation to the attempted coup. Following his interrogation about the coup, he has been placed under house arrest.
Despite being accused, Koroma has consistently denied any participation in the assault that resulted in the deaths of approximately 20 people. The attempted coup occurred five months after a contested election, wherein President Bio secured a narrow re-election for a second term.
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US, Sierra Leonian President React to Attempted Coup D’Etat (video)