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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Elections & Politics

Nigeria facilitates former Sierra Leone President Koroma’s return home after two years

From The Punch · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Official statement Outcome reported
  • Nigeria helped former Sierra Leone President Ernest Bai Koroma return to Freetown after more than two years of temporary relocation in Nigeria.
  • Nigeria’s foreign minister said the return followed confidence-building efforts involving ECOWAS, Nigeria and other stakeholders.
  • Officials said dialogue during Koroma’s stay helped create conditions for his safe and dignified return.

Former Sierra Leone President Ernest Bai Koroma has returned to Freetown after spending more than two years in Nigeria, in a return facilitated by the Nigerian government and regional diplomatic efforts.

Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, accompanied Koroma to Sierra Leone on the instruction of President Bola Tinubu. Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo also joined the delegation.

His conduct throughout this period reflected restraint, statesmanship, and commitment to a peaceful outcome.

· Bianca Odumegwu-OjukwuNigeria’s foreign minister described Koroma’s conduct during his stay in Nigeria.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu said Koroma’s return concluded a regional process involving the Economic Community of West African States, the Nigerian government and other stakeholders. Koroma relocated to Nigeria in January 2024 after ECOWAS engagements aimed at promoting peace, stability and political understanding in Sierra Leone.

The minister said the process helped improve understanding between Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio and Koroma, creating the conditions for the former president’s temporary stay in Nigeria. She said sustained discussions during that period helped resolve the issues that had prompted his relocation.

This morning, I had the pleasure of seeing off my dear friend and brother, His Excellency President Ernest Bai Koroma, as he begins his journey home to Sierra Leone.

· Goodluck JonathanThe former Nigerian president announced that Koroma had begun his return journey.

“His conduct throughout this period reflected restraint, statesmanship, and commitment to a peaceful outcome,” Odumegwu-Ojukwu said. She added that Nigeria remained committed to regional harmony, constitutional order and democratic stability, and expressed confidence that Koroma’s return would strengthen reconciliation and peace in Sierra Leone.

Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan also announced Koroma’s return in a post on X. He described Nigeria as Koroma’s “home away from home” and said quiet efforts with others had encouraged dialogue with Sierra Leonean authorities to create the conditions for a safe and dignified return.

home away from home

· Goodluck JonathanJonathan described Nigeria’s role during Koroma’s more than two-year stay.
About this summary

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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