Nigeria has facilitated the return of former Sierra Leonean President Ernest Bai Koroma to Freetown, bringing an end to his more than two-year period of temporary relocation in Nigeria. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday and signed by her Special Assistant on Communication and New Media, Magnus Eze.

The minister said she accompanied Koroma to Sierra Leone on the instruction of President Bola Tinubu, describing his return as the culmination of a regional diplomatic and confidence-building process involving the Economic Community of West African States, the Nigerian Government and other relevant stakeholders.

According to Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Koroma relocated to Nigeria in January 2024 following diplomatic engagements facilitated by ECOWAS to promote peace, stability and political understanding in Sierra Leone.

She explained that the process created an environment for improved relations between Koroma and Sierra Leone's incumbent President, Julius Maada Bio, ultimately enabling the former president to remain temporarily in Nigeria while efforts towards reconciliation continued.

The foreign affairs minister reaffirmed Nigeria's commitment to promoting regional harmony, constitutional governance and democratic stability across West Africa, and expressed confidence that Koroma's return would contribute to strengthening national reconciliation, political understanding and lasting peace in Sierra Leone.