THREE Nigerian naval boats with troops docked in Sierra Leone yesterday after a coup in Freetown toppled President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, witnesses said.
Mr Kabhah's UN envoy, Mr James Jonah, said the ousted leader had requested help from West African states to "restore democracy" after the weekend coup led by Major Johnny Paul Koromah.
Mr Jonah said he had been authorised to go to next week's Organisation of African Unity summit in the Zimbabwean capital Harare to ask for sanctions against the coup leaders.
These would include non-recognition of their government and a travel ban on the junior officers who organised the revolt.
Asked if Mr Kabbah, now in Guinea, had asked for troops to oust the coup plotters, he said: "If possible yes, because what else do we have in the country. We have a bunch of corporals who opened the prisons wide open and 600 people came out, criminals, and they are roaming the streets right now.
He said the West African bloc ECOWAS was committed to restoring "the legitimate government of Sierra Leone".
Nigerian ECOMOG units protecting key sites in Sierra Leone because of civil war there were caught in battles with the coup soldiers.
Earlier yesterday Nigerian troops reinforced Sierra Leone's international airport and the coup leaders expressed concern about talk of a Nigerian counter-attack.
Hours later a Nigerian vessel with combat troops docked at Freetown's Government Wharf near Sierra Leone's naval base. Two others followed later in the afternoon, diplomats said.
"The AFRC is concerned over rumours that our brothers, the Nigerian force, are about to launch an attack," said a statement from Maj Koromah, chairman of the newly-formed Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC). "The AFRC is hereby informing the general public to know that it is a baseless rumour. The situation is under control, and all and sundry are hereby requested to go about their normal duties."
The German Foreign Ministry recommended that all Germans in Sierra Leone should leave. Germany joined a growing number of countries condemning the coup as a serious blow for democracy in West Africa.
Two Lebanese citizens were killed and two wounded in coup violence in Freetown.
The new army rulers said they had reopened the land borders and air and sea ports. A dusk to dawn curfew remained in force.
Staff at Freetown's Connaught hospital said at least 40 people had been killed in Sunday's fighting, including two Nigerians and several Sierra Leonean soldiers but ECOMOG Field Commander General Victor Malu said in Lagos on Monday there had been no Nigerian casualties.