Visiting Guinea-Bissau President and Chairman of EVOWAS Commission, Umaro Sissoco Embalo has told President Julius Maada Bio that Ex-President, Ernest Bai Koroma has consented to meet with him when he returned to Sierra Leone to discuss peace and calmness.

Embalo made this revelation at a meeting of ambassadors, heads of missions, the United Nations and journalists briefing by President Bio on the August 10 violent protests  at east of Freetown and in some parts of the country.

He said he had called up former President Ernest Bai Koroma, who was still in Kenya, to encourage him to support the government and work with President Bio, adding that the opposition leader had promised to engage him further when he returned to Sierra Leone.

“When you are in the opposition and you ignite a huge fire in society, it will rage on until you come to power one day and face the challenge of putting that fire out,” the Guinea-Bissau President warned.

“The President also informed me that he will be meeting with traditional chiefs, religious leaders, civil society and political party leaders. He also told me that government has briefed the international community and he has personally met and engaged with Ambassadors. I want to thank the President for all these efforts and encourage him to continue to engage,” he added.

Reacting on Twitter to Wednesday August 10 violent anti-governement protest, former President Kororma condemned the action and called for calm and stability.

“I’ve been briefed that sadly protests in Sierra Leone yesterday resulted in loss of life. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families. Violence is never the answer to anything and should be condemned. I urge calm and restraint on both sides. May the souls lost Rest In Peace!” Koroma tweeted.

However, during his address to the nation on Friday evening, President Bio blamed Koroma’s APC as the instigators behind the deadly protest and vowed to make all those involved face the full force of the law.