Koroma Ends Two-Year Nigeria Stay, Returns Home After Sierra Leone Drops Treason Charges
Freetown/Abuja—September 6, 2026—Former Sierra Leone President Ernest Bai Koroma returned to his homeland on Sunday after more than two years in Nigeria, marking the end of a sensitive political chapter that began with treason allegations and evolved into a carefully managed regional diplomatic process.
Koroma, who led Sierra Leone from 2007 to 2018, arrived at Freetown’s international airport accompanied by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo.
He was received by Sierra Leone’s Foreign Minister Mohamed Rahman Swarray and officials from his All People’s Congress (APC) party.
Smiling, Koroma told journalists, “Today I have come back home, and I’m happy.”
The return followed the Sierra Leone government’s decision in July 2026 to discontinue criminal proceedings against him.
The charges, which included treason and related offences, stemmed from the deadly November 2023 attacks on military facilities, prisons and police stations in Freetown that authorities described as a failed coup attempt.
Koroma consistently denied any involvement, and his lawyers had characterised the case as politically motivated.
How the Exile Began
Koroma left Sierra Leone in January 2024 after a High Court granted him permission to travel to Nigeria for medical treatment, initially for a period of three months.
The move came amid heightened political tension and was facilitated through engagements involving the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Nigeria hosted him under an arrangement aimed at de-escalating tensions and promoting stability in the sub-region. What began as a temporary stay stretched beyond two years.
Nigeria’s Foreign Ministry described the episode as a successful regional diplomatic and confidence-building exercise.
In a statement, Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who travelled on the instruction of President Bola Tinubu, noted that Koroma’s conduct during his time in Nigeria reflected restraint and a commitment to a peaceful resolution.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan, who saw Koroma off in Abuja, called Nigeria the former leader’s “home away from home” and highlighted quiet efforts that encouraged dialogue with Sierra Leonean authorities.
A Step Toward National Cohesion
Sierra Leone’s Vice President Mohamed Jukdeh Jalloh had publicly signalled the return days earlier, framing it as part of efforts to foster peace and national cohesion.
The homecoming comes ahead of presidential elections scheduled for 2028 and is widely viewed as an opportunity to ease residual political friction between the government of President Julius Maada Bio and the opposition.
Nigeria’s role has been presented as consistent with its commitment to regional harmony, constitutional order and democratic stability across West Africa.
Officials expressed confidence that Koroma’s return would further strengthen reconciliation efforts in Sierra Leone.
For many observers, the quiet resolution of the case and the dignified manner of the return underscore the value of patient diplomacy in a region still navigating the aftershocks of political crises.
Koroma’s presence back on Sierra Leonean soil closes one chapter while opening space for the broader conversation about unity and the road to 2028.
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