TUESDAY, 4.30PM
A NIGERIAN general has suggested that West African countries neighbouring Sierra Leone may step in to reverse Sunday’s army coup. West Africa has a joint 11 000-member ”peace force” called Ecomog, which includes a Sierra Leone contingent.
Major General Victor Malu said in Lagos that no country could sit back to watch junior army officers seize power by toppling an elected government. The international community had spent much to support the fragile democracy in Sierra Leone, he said, and the country would not survive without massive external assistance. The matter was under discussion at a ”high level” and a decision on appropriate strategy will be made within days.
Intervention in neighbouring countries is not uncommon in West Africa — Guinea has sent troops into Sierra Leone on more than one occasion. The Nigerians have a battalion in Sierra Leone at the moment, which exchanged fire with the coup leaders on Sunday.
The coup, led by Major Johnny Koroma, who has called for the return to Sierra Leone of the leader of the rebel Revolutionary United Front, Foday Sankoh, with whom he wants to form a government. Sankoh has been in Nigerian detention since April.