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Former President Koroma of Sierra Leone gets asylum in Nigeria on medical treatment
Former President Koroma of Sierra Leone gets asylum in Nigeria on medical treatment
By: Bodunrin Kayode
Former President Ernest Koroma of Sierra Leone arrived in Abuja on Friday for medical treatment which may ultimately culminate into an asylum.
Koroma who was fingered in a recent failed coup in Freetown was released from house arrest after a court in Freetown permitted him to travel to Nigeria to seek medical treatment for three months.
The Former President was arrested and charged with treason, with others now in custody and was equally slammed with two counts charges of harbouring suspects believed to be involved in the botched attempt to over throw President Mada Bio.
He was later granted bail on the condition that he could not leave his house except permitted by the Inspector-General of Police.
The Former President flew to Nigeria aboard a Nigerian Air Force plane and was received by the National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu and the President of the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) Omar Touray.
Koroma finally arrived Nigeria Friday with his entire family after series of meetings within the ECOWAS and Nigeria and an agreement that he will move to Abuja if all the charges against him were dropped.
Sources within the ECOWAS said the sub-regional bloc (ECOWAS) had quietly arranged an agreement for the former President to go into exile in Nigeria if the charges were dropped.
Notice of demand for the ex President by ECOWAS
Sierra Leone’s foreign minister, Tim Kabba had confirmed receipt of a letter written by the President of the ECOWAS Commission detailing arrangements to allow for the temporary relocation/exile of former President Ernest Bai Koroma who has been facing treason charges.
Kabbah said that his government did not however countenance the content of the said letter “because it is a unilateral proposition by the President of the ECOWAS Commission”.
Under the terms of the letter, Koroma was to be flown to Nigeria on 4 January with all legal and administrative procedures against him dropped, keeping his full entitlement as a former President.
Koroma a veteran insurance broker widely seen as the economic messiah of the corporate world was the first minority President of Sierra Leone who served for 11 years after winning in a landslide elections.
Koroma won 54% of the popular votes under the banner of the All Peoples Congress (APC) beating Solomon Barewa of the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) to become the 4th President of the country in 2007, coming green from the corporate world.
He was succeeded by the current President Julius Maada Bio who has had several security and economic challenges since assumption of office trying to stabilize the country which is still struggling from the scars of a brutal Civil war suffered by the small west African country.
Former President Koroma of Sierra Leone gets asylum in Nigeria on medical treatment
Police officer dies, 17 injured in auto crash along Potiskum–Bauchi road
By: Zagazola Makama
A senior police officer has died while 17 other passengers sustained injuries following a road accident along the Potiskum–Bauchi highway in Yobe State.
Sources said the crash occurred at about 3:15 p.m. on Feb. 21 near the bye-pass roundabout area of PKM on the outskirts of Potiskum.
The vehicle, a Toyota Hummer Bus belonging to Borno Express and conveying 18 passengers from Kaduna to Maiduguri, reportedly lost control after the rear tyre rim on the passenger side suddenly detached.
According to the sources , the driver veered off the road into a bush, resulting in fatal and multiple injuries.
One of the passengers, ACP Abubakar Ibrahim Balteh, 45, attached to the Borno State Police Command, sustained a severe head injury and died on the spot.
Two male and two female passengers escaped unhurt, while 13 others suffered serious injuries of varying degrees.
The injured victims and the deceased were evacuated to the General Hospital Potiskum for treatment and autopsy.
Police officer dies, 17 injured in auto crash along Potiskum–Bauchi road
Troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA humiliate Lakurawa terrorists
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA have neutralised several of suspected Lakurawa terrorist elements following a failed attack on Dadinkowa community in Kebbi State.
Local intelligence sources said the armed group attempted to raid a local market in the early hours of Sunday and blocked a major access road into the community to facilitate the operation.
The sources disclosed that security forces responded swiftly after receiving distress alerts and engaged the attackers in a fierce gun battle, forcing them to retreat.
According to the sources, several of the assailants were neutralised during the encounter, while others escaped with suspected gunshot wounds.
The attempted market raid was successfully foiled, preventing potential civilian casualties and destruction of property.
Troops have since intensified patrols and clearance operations around Dadinkowa and adjoining areas to track fleeing elements and stabilise the security environment.
Troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA humiliate Lakurawa terrorists
One killed as suspected IPOB/ESN militants attack Ogbakoba Market in Anambra
By: Zagazola Makama
A 15-year-old boy was killed while security operatives repelled an attack by suspected members of the proscribed IPOB/ESN militia at Ogbakoba Market Arena in Anambra State.
Sources said the incident occurred on Feb. 21 at about 1:40 p.m., when a group of armed hoodlums emerged from a dense forest camp at Amiyi and opened sporadic fire at market-goers, apparently attempting to kidnap or rob residents.
A joint task force patrol team stationed at Amiyi responded swiftly, engaging the attackers in a fierce gun duel that forced them to retreat into the forest with bullet wounds. The injured boy was rushed to the village hospital but was confirmed dead on arrival. His body was deposited in the morgue for autopsy and preservation.
The sources added that later the same day at about 8:30 p.m., the armed group resurfaced near the community, snatching a shuttle bus with registration number HAL 987 XA and a GSM phone belonging to one Mr. Kinsley Iwunze of Okpotuno Odekpe, Ogbaru LGA.
Security operatives immediately dispatched teams to the scene, but the hoodlums had fled. Authorities said an aggressive manhunt was ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspects.
One killed as suspected IPOB/ESN militants attack Ogbakoba Market in Anambra
Police officer dies, 17 injured in auto crash along Potiskum–Bauchi road
Troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA humiliate Lakurawa terrorists
One killed as suspected IPOB/ESN militants attack Ogbakoba Market in Anambra
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