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Former Sierra Leone President Ernest Bai Koroma has returned to Freetown after more than two years in Nigeria, ending a prolonged stay that began after he was charged with treason and other offences linked to the November 2023 failed coup attempt in his country.
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Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, accompanied Koroma home on the directive of President Bola Tinubu, describing the return as the culmination of sustained ECOWAS-led diplomacy and confidence-building efforts involving the Nigerian and Sierra Leonean governments.
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Koroma’s relocation to Nigeria was initially authorised for only three months on medical grounds, after Sierra Leone’s High Court varied his bail conditions in January 2024 to allow him to receive treatment in Nigeria. He ultimately remained there for more than two years.
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The former president’s return follows the withdrawal of the treason case against him, with Sierra Leone’s authorities dropping the charges in July 2026, removing a major obstacle to his return and opening a new chapter in the country’s reconciliation process.
September 07, (THEWILL) — Former Sierra Leone President, Ernest Bai Koroma, has returned home after spending more than two years in Nigeria, in what the Federal Government described as the successful conclusion of a delicate regional diplomatic process aimed at easing political tensions in the West African country.
Koroma arrived in Freetown on Sunday after Nigeria facilitated what it described as his “safe, orderly and dignified return” to Sierra Leone.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, accompanied the former president to Freetown on the instruction of President Bola Tinubu. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo also joined the delegation.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu said Koroma’s return marked the culmination of sustained diplomatic engagements involving the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Nigeria, the Sierra Leonean government and other stakeholders.
According to her, the process was designed to promote peace, political understanding and stability in Sierra Leone while creating conditions for dialogue between Koroma and President Julius Maada Bio.
“His conduct throughout this period reflected restraint, statesmanship, and commitment to a peaceful outcome”, the minister said.
She added that Nigeria’s role in hosting Koroma had provided the space for sustained engagements aimed at resolving the issues surrounding his relocation and eventual return.
The minister expressed appreciation to President Bio, Koroma and the people of Sierra Leone for their cooperation, saying Nigeria remained committed to regional harmony, constitutional order and democratic stability.
How It Started
Koroma’s prolonged stay in Nigeria dates back to the aftermath of a failed military uprising in Sierra Leone on November 26, 2023.
Armed attackers had stormed military facilities, prisons and police stations in Freetown in an attempt that the Sierra Leonean government described as an attempted coup. The violence left at least 21 people dead and resulted in the escape of hundreds of prisoners.
Koroma, who served as president of Sierra Leone from 2007 to 2018, was subsequently questioned by authorities and later charged with four offences, including treason, misprision of treason and two counts of harbouring. Authorities alleged that he had a role in the failed attempt to overthrow the government, allegations he denied.
The development heightened political tensions in Sierra Leone, months after the disputed 2023 presidential election in which Bio was declared the winner.
With concerns mounting over Koroma’s safety and the potential for the case to deepen political divisions, ECOWAS intervened.
A high-level ECOWAS delegation led by the then-Ghanaian President, Nana Akufo-Addo, and Senegalese President, Macky Sall, visited Freetown in December 2023. Following the intervention, Nigeria offered to host Koroma temporarily in Abuja.
In a January 2, 2024 letter, ECOWAS Commission President Omar Alieu Touray informed President Bio that Nigeria had agreed to host the former president temporarily as part of an arrangement reached during the regional intervention.
Medical Treatment Became Long-Term Stay
Koroma subsequently travelled to Nigeria after Sierra Leone’s High Court varied his bail conditions to permit him to leave the country for medical treatment. The court’s January 17, 2024 order authorised him to remain in Nigeria for a maximum of three months, while requiring his sureties to provide regular medical updates on his condition.
He, however, remained in Nigeria for more than two years.
His prolonged stay effectively transformed what was initially presented as a temporary medical relocation into a significant diplomatic arrangement, with Nigeria providing a safe environment while regional actors continued efforts to address the political and legal issues surrounding him.
Throughout the period, Koroma maintained a relatively low political profile in Nigeria, while diplomatic efforts continued behind the scenes.
A major breakthrough came in 2026 when Sierra Leone authorities dropped the treason charges against the former president.
The country’s Justice Ministry announced in July that the charges had been withdrawn, although it did not publicly give a detailed explanation for the decision.
The development removed the principal legal barrier to Koroma’s return.
His homecoming therefore represents more than the end of a prolonged stay in Nigeria. It also marks a significant shift in a political dispute that had threatened to deepen divisions in a country still dealing with the legacy of its civil war and recurring political tensions.
Koroma’s return also gives Nigeria an opportunity to demonstrate its continuing influence in regional conflict resolution, particularly under Tinubu’s leadership of ECOWAS during the period when the former Sierra Leonean president was relocated to Abuja.
The Federal Government said Nigeria’s involvement was guided by the need to promote peace, national cohesion and democratic stability rather than to interfere in Sierra Leone’s internal affairs.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu said the process had helped create conditions for greater understanding between Bio and Koroma, while praising both leaders for their cooperation. She expressed confidence that Koroma’s return would contribute to national reconciliation and strengthen peace in Sierra Leone.
Nigeria said it would continue to support efforts aimed at strengthening democratic stability, constitutional governance and peaceful political engagement across the region.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
