ECOWAS Applauds Sierra Leone For Humanitarian Gestures Towards Its Former President
Princess-Ekwi Ajide Abuja
The Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, has praised what it termed the “humanitarian gesture” by Sierra Leone government for allowing its former President Ernest Bai Koroma travel abroad for medical reasons.
In a statement, ECOWAS expressed its deep gratitude to the Sierra Leonean government, praising the “humanitarian gesture” as serving the greater interest of Sierra Leone and the ECOWAS region.
The statement followed as a Sierra Leonean court authorised the former president, who faces charges of treason and other offences related to his alleged involvement in a failed coup attempt in November, 2023 to travel temporarily on medical grounds earlier last week.
The ruling had stipulated that Koroma, 70, can stay in Nigeria for no more than three months and must return to Sierra Leone for a court hearing in March.
ECOWAS, a regional bloc of 15 West African nations, had previously intervened in the situation, with presidents from Senegal and Ghana facilitating a deal for Koroma’s temporary exile in Nigeria.
The statement explicitly emphasized ECOWAS’ “renewed commitment to supporting the government and the people of Sierra Leone in their efforts to foster peace and security as well as to deepen democracy and good governance.”
Meanwhile, former President Koroma, has arrived in Abuja and was received by the ECOWAS Commission President, Omar Touray and the former Vice President ECOWAS Commission, Madam Finda Koroma, among others.
