Video Emerges As Indicted Ex-Sierra Leone President Lands in Nigeria

• Sierra Leone's former President Koroma has landed in Nigeria's Nnamdi Azikwe Airport in Abuja
• This is after a high court in Sierra Leone granted Koroma, an order to travel to Nigeria on medical grounds for three months
• Koroma made the move after his country's government and ECOWAS reached a deal last week to allow the 70-year-old to relocate to that country following treason charges against him

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

FCT, Abuja - On Friday, January 19, Sierra Leone’s former president Ernest Bai Koroma, charged for his alleged role in an attempted coup, left the country and arrived in Nigeria.

Koroma landed in Abuja on Friday afternoon, welcomed by the country's National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu and the president of the ECOWAS Commission Omar Alieu Touray, Channels TV and the Punch newspaper reported.

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Why Ernest Bai Koroma flew into Nigeria

Meanwhile, Nigeria had previously offered to allow the ex-president to enter temporarily, which he accepted.

The 70-year-old, who led the West African nation from 2007 to 2018, received permission from judicial authorities on Wednesday, January 17, to spend a maximum of three months in Nigeria for medical treatment.

Current President Julius Maada Bio called the court’s decision a “humanitarian gesture” during an address to the nation on Thursday evening, January 18.

Watch the video as Koroma arrives in Nigeria:

Koroma charged with treason, ECOWAS relocated him to Nigeria

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that this is not the best time for Koroma, as he has been charged with treason.

Koroma was also charged with other offences in connection with an attempted coup that led to the death of 20 persons in November 2023.

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It was gathered that gunmen broke into a military armoury and several prisons in Freetown, freeing almost 2,000 inmates.

Sierra Leone declares nationwide curfew over alleged attempted coup

There are fears of a coup in Sierra Leone following a reported military breach.

Multiple reports cited by Legit.ng indicate that some unidentified gunmen attacked a military barracks and attempted to break into an armoury in the capital, Freetown, on Sunday, November 26.

The Sierra Leonean government has declared a nationwide curfew to contain the development.

Tinubu speaks on Sierra Leone, Guinea Bissau coup attempts

Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has said ECOWAS is ‘unequivocally against any form of unconstitutional change of government in the sub-region’.

Tinubu, who is also the chairperson of the ECOWAS heads of state and government, said this Sunday, December 10, at the 64th extraordinary session of the authority of heads of state and government.

Source: Legit.ng