By Tolulope Aina
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, has disclosed that former President of Sierra Leone, Ernest Bai Koroma, is expected to return to Sierra Leone within three months after completing medical treatment in Abuja.
Ambassador Tuggar made this revelation during a gathering with members of the Diplomatic Correspondents Association of Nigeria (DICAN) in Abuja.
Addressing concerns about Koroma’s presence in Nigeria, Ambassador Tuggar clarified that the former Sierra Leonean leader currently resides in Nigeria for medical reasons. He emphasized that Koroma’s stay in Nigeria was aimed at alleviating tensions in Sierra Leone.
“I believe he’s away for some medical treatment. He will return in a while, I think, three months, but this is where he’s residing. He’s safe and sound here,” stated Ambassador Tuggar.
He further explained the rationale behind maintaining discretion regarding Koroma’s presence, noting the importance of avoiding unnecessary attention that could potentially escalate tensions in Sierra Leone.
“We don’t want a situation where he’s residing here and we continue to speak about him and he’s attracting a lot of attention. And maybe he’s even been put in an awkward position where he has to start speaking and then that defeats the purpose of us diffusing the tension in Sierra Leone,” Ambassador Tuggar remarked.
He urged cooperation from the media in respecting the objective of maintaining stability in Sierra Leone by refraining from excessive coverage of Koroma’s presence in Nigeria.
Koroma who served Sierra Leone as President from 2007 to 2018 is facing a four-count charge relating to his purported involvement in the overthrow of the Sierra Leonean government of President Julius Maada Bio on November 26, 2023. The charges include treason, misprision of treason, and harboring.
On January 17, Koroma was granted permission to depart Sierra Leone to Nigeria for urgent medical treatment. The decision follows a successful bail review application submitted by his legal team, seeking a ninety-day allowance for his overseas medical attention.
