By Ikugbadi Oluwasegun
Ernest Bai Koroma, Former President of Sierra Leone will be arriving in Nigeria on Thursday on political asylum after involving in a failed military coup in Sierra Leone.
The former President who was investigated for his role in a botched coup d’etat and was found culpable of complicity.
A signed public notice by Chernor Bah, Sierra Leonean Minister of Information and Civic Education, stated 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.
The notice added that: “The former President is charged with four offences, including treason, misprision of treason, and two counts of harbouring.”
In what seems like avoiding the former President’s disgrace and perhaps imprisonment, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) succeeded in getting political asylum for him in Nigeria, where he is expected to be harboured for some time.
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.
The letter written on January 2, 2024 with Presidents, Bola Tinubu (Nigeria), Nana Akufo-Addo (Ghana) and Macky Sall (Sierra Leone) copied 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 Republic of Ghana, and His Excellency Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal.
“I am please 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.”