The Federal Government has concluded the return of former Sierra Leone President Ernest Bai Koroma to Freetown, more than two years after he was relocated to Nigeria.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who accompanied Koroma on the trip under instruction from President Bola Tinubu, said the handover marked the conclusion of a regional diplomatic and confidence-building process.
She said Koroma’s relocation to Nigeria in January 2024 followed engagements by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) aimed at promoting peace and political understanding in Sierra Leone.
She said the process helped build understanding between President Julius Maada Bio and Koroma, paving the way for the former president’s temporary stay in Nigeria.
She described Koroma’s conduct during that period as reflecting restraint and statesmanship, and said sustained engagement between ECOWAS, the Nigerian government and other stakeholders had helped resolve the issues behind his relocation.
The Minister thanked President Bio, Koroma and the people of Sierra Leone for their cooperation, and said Nigeria remained committed to regional harmony and democratic stability in West Africa.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo also accompanied Koroma on the return trip to Freetown.
