Former President Ernest Bai Koroma has returned to Sierra Leone, marking a significant moment in the country’s political landscape after spending more than two years in Nigeria following treason charges linked to the failed November 2023 coup attempt.
Koroma arrived in the country on Saturday to a warm reception from supporters, family members, political associates, and well-wishers who gathered to welcome the former Head of State back home. His return comes weeks after the Government of Sierra Leone formally discontinued all treason-related charges against him, paving the way for his unrestricted return to the country.
The former president, who governed Sierra Leone from 2007 to 2018, left for Nigeria in January 2024 after being granted permission to seek medical treatment abroad while facing charges connected to the events of November 26, 2023, which the government described as an attempted coup. The violence claimed the lives of at least 21 people and led to the prosecution of several military personnel and civilians.
His homecoming follows an announcement made by Vice President Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh earlier this week in Makeni, where he disclosed that Koroma would return during the weekend as part of broader efforts aimed at promoting national reconciliation, peace, and unity.
Koroma’s return is expected to generate considerable political interest, particularly within the opposition All People’s Congress (APC), where he remains an influential figure and a respected statesman. Political observers believe his presence in Sierra Leone could shape ongoing discussions about national cohesion, democratic governance, and preparations for future political contests.
Although Koroma briefly visited Sierra Leone in July to attend the ECOWAS Summit in Freetown following the withdrawal of the charges against him, Saturday’s arrival marks his full return to the country after an extended stay in Nigeria.
His return closes a chapter that has dominated Sierra Leone’s political discourse since the failed coup allegations emerged and signals a potentially new phase in the country’s efforts toward political reconciliation and stability.