The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray arrived in Freetown yesterday, for talks with the Sierra Leonean government.
Diplomatic sources confirmed that, the ECOWAS President is in Freetown to facilitate the temporal relocation of former President Ernest Bai Koroma to Nigeria.
Some senior West African diplomats confirmed that, in December last year, the Sierra Leone government agreed for former President Koroma to leave the country.
An ECOWAS delegation including Presidents Nana Akuffo-Addo (Ghana), Macky Sall (Senegal), the ECOWAS President Dr. Oumar Alieu Touray and Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs and Peace arrived in Freetown on December 23, 2023 and met separately with President Julius Maada Bio and former President Ernest Bai Koroma. During that meeting, former President Koroma was persuaded by the ECOWAS mission to relocate to Nigeria on a temporary basis.
Former President Ernest Bai Koroma currently faces four counts of treason, misprision of treason and harboring. He appeared in court in Freetown a week ago and he is expected to return to court on 17th January, 2024.
Senior West African diplomats based in Freetown have confirmed that, arrangements will be made to allow former President Koroma to travel to Nigeria with the tacit approval of the Sierra Leonean government.
A senior official in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Freetown last night confirmed the arrival of the ECOWAS President but refused to comment on the purpose of his visit
