Major (later Lieutenant-Colonel) Johnny Paul Koroma came to power in May 1997 as the result of a military coup. A month his Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) invited the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) to share power. No country recognised the AFRC regime, and its legitimacy was challenged by the elected government-in-exile in Conakry, Guinea. The AFRC was overthrown by the Nigerian-led ECOMOG force in February 1998, and "Johnny Paul" fled to eastern Sierra Leone, where he was imprisoned by his former RUF allies.
Armed Forces Revolutionary Council
As of 11 September 1997
AFRC and RUF Documents and Speeches
Including press releases, transcripts and timeline
