Connect with us

News

Former President Koroma of Sierra Leone gets asylum in Nigeria on medical treatment

Published

on

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

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

News

Troops Arrest Three Suspected Cattle Rustlers in Borno

Published

on

Troops Arrest Three Suspected Cattle Rustlers in Borno

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of 212 Battalion deployed at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Tuba have arrested three suspected cattle rustlers during an operation in Karnuwa general area of Borno State.

Security sources said the operation followed intelligence provided by a local resident, Malam Muhammadu Ardo, concerning alleged cattle rustling activities within the area.

The troops reportedly mobilised to Karnuwa at about 12:30 p.m. on May 4, 2026, where they apprehended the suspects identified as Mallam Mohammad Abatcha, 28; Mallam Mamman Bukar, 18; and Malam Modu Hassan, 30.

According to the sources, the suspects were intercepted while using a pickup vehicle with registration number WW 806 GZ Delta, allegedly employed in transporting stolen cattle.

The rustled cattle were recovered and immediately handed over to their rightful owners at the scene of the arrest.

Items recovered from the suspects included a bow and arrow, three mobile phones, five national identity cards and the sum of N20,650.

Preliminary investigation reportedly revealed that the suspects admitted to repeatedly stealing and selling rustled cattle to buyers in Maiduguri.

Security sources further disclosed that investigators suspect possible links between the suspects and members of the Islamic State West Africa Province or Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad due to alleged inconsistencies observed in their statements during interrogation.

Troops Arrest Three Suspected Cattle Rustlers in Borno

Continue Reading

News

Troops Discover Illegal Refinery Site, Recover 600 Litres of Stolen Crude in Rivers

Published

on

Troops Discover Illegal Refinery Site, Recover 600 Litres of Stolen Crude in Rivers

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of 29 Battalion operating under the Joint Task Force South-South, Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), have uncovered an illegal refining site and recovered about 600 litres of suspected stolen crude oil in Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Security sources said the discovery was made at about 10:00 a.m. on May 12, 2026, during ongoing anti-illegal bunkering operations in the Niger Delta region.

The troops reportedly discovered the illegal refining site around Asa community, where a large cooking pot loaded with stolen crude oil was found stockpiled in sacks.

Military authorities said the recovered products and equipment were handled in accordance with operational directives guiding anti-crude oil theft operations under Operation Delta Safe.

The operation was conducted without any confrontation or security incident.

The Nigerian military has continued to intensify operations against crude oil theft, illegal refining and other forms of economic sabotage across the Niger Delta region.

Troops Discover Illegal Refinery Site, Recover 600 Litres of Stolen Crude in Rivers

Continue Reading

News

Troops, NDLEA Raid Drug Hideout in Katsina, Arrest Suspected Supplier to Terrorists

Published

on

Troops, NDLEA Raid Drug Hideout in Katsina, Arrest Suspected Supplier to Terrorists

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Malumfashi at Kafur, in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, have raided a suspected drug peddlers’ hideout in Kafur Local Government Area of Katsina State.

Security sources said the operation was conducted at about 12:30 p.m. on May 12, 2026, at Huguma village following intelligence on illicit drug activities within the area.

During the raid, troops apprehended one suspect identified as a major supplier of illicit drugs and other substances to terrorists and criminal elements operating within Kafur Local Government Area and surrounding communities.

Items recovered during the operation included 146 grams of suspected cannabis and 16.5 grams of a substance identified as Exol-5.

The suspect and the recovered drugs have since been handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for further investigation and necessary legal action.

Troops, NDLEA Raid Drug Hideout in Katsina, Arrest Suspected Supplier to Terrorists

Continue Reading

Trending

Verified by MonsterInsights