The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has welcomed the return of former Sierra Leonean President Ernest Bai Koroma as an important step toward national reconciliation and lasting peace.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the regional bloc specifically praised the Government of Sierra Leone and President Julius Maada Bio for facilitating Koroma’s homecoming.
ECOWAS described the development as being firmly in the interest of national unity, cohesion, and enduring stability.
Koroma returned permanently to Freetown on Sunday after more than two years in Nigeria. He was accompanied by Nigerian Foreign Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu and former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo. Sierra Leone’s Foreign Minister Mohamed Rahman Swarray and officials from Koroma’s All People’s Congress (APC) received him at the airport.
The former president had left for Nigeria in January 2024 following treason charges linked to a failed coup attempt in November 2023. Those charges were dropped by the Sierra Leonean government in July 2026 as part of broader efforts to promote reconciliation. Koroma had briefly returned earlier that month to attend an ECOWAS summit.
ECOWAS also expressed gratitude to Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his leadership in hosting Koroma and helping ensure his safe and dignified return.
The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to supporting peace, political stability, and democratic governance across the West African region.
