Nigeria Grants Ex-Sierra Leonean President Asylum

Following the unsuccessful coup attempt in Sierra Leone in November 2023, the Federal Government gave temporary sanctuary in Abuja to former Sierra Leonean President Ernest Bai Koroma, who is being accused of treason by his successor, Julius Maada Bio.

According to a letter dated January 2, 2024, signed by Omar Alieu Touray and delivered to President Bio of Sierra Leone, the former president has accepted the offer to be entertained in Nigeria.

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 temporarily. 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 were that the government of Sierra Leone would suspend all legal and administrative proceedings against Koroma; that the government of Sierra Leone would continue to pay Koroma’s benefits as former president; that the government of Sierra Leone would secure his residences in various locations throughout Sierra Leone; and that the government of Sierra Leone would consider refunding the former president’s medical and travel expenses.

Last November, gunmen burst into a military armoury and three jails in Freetown, freeing about 2,000 people.

In connection with the attempted coup, Koroma was charged with four charges of treason. Since being questioned about the coup, he has been placed under house arrest.

He has denied any role in the incident, which claimed the lives of approximately 20 people. The coup attempt happened five months after President Bio was narrowly re-elected for a second term in a disputed poll.

ECOWAS leaders attempted to orchestrate an agreement in which Koroma would go into exile in Nigeria if the allegations against him were dismissed. Koroma had agreed to the agreement in a letter.

Koroma served as president for 11 years until his successor, Julius Maada Bio, was elected in 2018. On Tuesday, 12 more persons were accused in connection with the coup attempt, including one of Koroma’s former bodyguards.