Former President Ernest Bai Koroma returned to Sierra Leone on Sunday, September 6, 2026, ending nearly three years of voluntary exile in Nigeria, after the Attorney General's office dropped all criminal charges against him, including treason and misprision of treason.

Koroma, who led Sierra Leone from 2007 to 2018 and remains a towering figure in the opposition All People's Congress (APC), had left the country in January 2024 following his questioning over the attempted coup of November 2023, in which gunmen attacked military barracks, armouries and a correctional centre in Freetown.

According to reporting by the BBC, Bloomberg and Xinhua, the decision to drop the charges was communicated by the office of the Attorney General, clearing the way for the former leader's return. He was received on arrival by government and party officials in what observers described as a warm welcome.

In remarks after landing, Koroma expressed appreciation to President Julius Maada Bio for facilitating his return and committed to working for national cohesion and peace, according to State House. His return is widely seen as a significant step towards de-escalating political tensions ahead of the 2028 general elections.

Political analysts say the development could reshape the opposition landscape, with the APC having passed through a turbulent period of internal disputes and court injunctions during Koroma's absence. The government has framed the decision as an act of national reconciliation rather than an admission that the coup attempt did not occur.

Sources: BBC News, Bloomberg, Xinhua, Africanews, State House Sierra Leone.