The political tension in Sierra Leone following the disputed June 2023 presidential election had heightened with an alleged coup attempt reported on 26th November, which the government blamed on officials of the opposition All Progressive Congress (APC), including former President Koroma. Meanwhile, during the ECOWAS end-of-year summit in December 2023, President Bio had requested the regional economic bloc to send a mediation mission to Sierra Leone. Former President Koroma was said to have rejected the Bio suggestion, but following persuasion by the ECOWAS delegation, the three parties (Koroma, ECOWAS, and Bio) eventually agreed to the exile plan with Nigeria as Koroma’s host country. This was on the condition that the Sierra Leone government should drop all legal and administrative charges against Koroma, who should also retain his entitlements as former head of state. The government said 15 of Koroma’s serving and former bodyguards are implicated in the alleged coup attempt, while the former president insists on his innocence.

Source: GNN Liberia January 20, 2024 17:30 UTC