Aaron Parker, Freetown, Sierra Leone. January 19, 2024.
Former President Ernest Bai Koroma left Sierra Leone this afternoon bound for Abuja, Nigeria, aboard a Nigerian Air Force flight from the Freetown International Airport, Lungi.
The departure comes in the wake of the former President facing charges for his alleged involvement in the failed attempted coup on November 26th. However, President Bio granted him permission to travel out of the country on humanitarian grounds, citing specialized medical reasons.
Accompanied by a high-profile delegation, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Timothy Kabba, Chief of Defense Staff Lieutenant General Peter Lavahun, Inspector General of Police William Fayia Sellu, and lead attorney Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara, the former President was seen off from his residence to the Water Taxi, which transported him to Lungi for the departure.
The government of Nigeria extended a generous offer to host the former President in Abuja, as part of a bilateral agreement for his temporary relocation. This arrangement was proposed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to President Bio.
The departure of Ernest Bai Koroma for medical treatment marks a significant development in the ongoing legal proceedings, with the former President’s health taking precedence in this chapter of his journey.
