By Deborah Sorie, Freetown, Sierra Leone. January 4, 2024.
Former President of Sierra Leone, Dr Ernest Bai Koroma, has been granted permission to stay in Nigeria on political asylum by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The move comes in the wake of treason charges leveled against Koroma in connection with the failed coup d’etat in Sierra Leone on November 26, 2023.
In a letter addressed to the current President of Sierra Leone, Julius Bio, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Alieu Touray, requested the temporary relocation of the former President to Abuja, Nigeria.
The letter, dated January 2, 2024, was also copied to Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo, and Senegalese President Macky Sall.
ECOWAS cited the need to ensure the safety and well-being of Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma during the ongoing legal proceedings.
The letter stated the organisation’s commitment to fostering peace, stability, and the rule of law in the West African region.
