ABUJA, NIGERIA — Former Sierra Leonean President Ernest Bai Koroma has returned to his home country after spending more than two years in Nigeria, following the withdrawal of treason charges against him in connection with a failed coup attempt in November 2023 .
Koroma departed Nigeria on Sunday morning and was accompanied by former Nigerian Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Olusegun Obasanjo, alongside Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs . The former leader, who ruled Sierra Leone from 2007 to 2018, arrived in Nigeria in January 2024 after a Sierra Leone High Court granted him permission to travel for medical treatment for a maximum of three months, despite being charged with treason .
His departure from Sierra Leone followed a deal brokered by the Economic Community of West African States, which allowed Koroma to be exiled to Nigeria in return for the charges being dropped . In July 2026, the Sierra Leonean government officially discontinued the criminal proceedings against the former president . The office of the Attorney-General confirmed that the proceedings were no longer before the court and that Koroma was free to return to Sierra Leone .
On Friday, Sierra Leone’s Vice President Mohamed Jalloh announced that Koroma would return to the country “in the spirit of peace and national cohesion” . Upon his arrival in Freetown on Sunday, Koroma was welcomed by Sierra Leone’s Foreign Minister Mohamed Rahman Swarray and officials from his party, the opposition All People’s Congress . “Today I have come back home and I’m happy,” Koroma told journalists upon arrival .
The treason case stemmed from the November 2023 unrest in Sierra Leone, when armed attackers stormed a military armoury, two barracks, two prisons and two police stations, clashing with security forces . Twenty-one people were killed and hundreds of prisoners escaped before authorities regained control . Two dozen soldiers and Koroma’s former bodyguard were later sentenced to prison terms ranging from 50 to 100 years for their alleged roles in the mutiny . The case against Koroma had raised fears that his indictment could worsen tensions over the disputed 2023 election in which President Julius Maada Bio won a second term .
In a statement, Minister Odumegwu-Ojukwu said sustained engagements involving ECOWAS, the Nigerian government and other stakeholders had contributed to resolving issues that necessitated Koroma’s relocation . “His conduct throughout this period reflected restraint, statesmanship, and commitment to a peaceful outcome,” she said . She thanked President Bio, Koroma and Sierra Leonean authorities for their cooperation and commitment to peace . Former President Jonathan also expressed happiness at Koroma’s return to Freetown, saying he hoped it would mark “a moment of renewed hope and reconciliation” .
