Former Liberian president Charles Taylor, arrested in northeast Nigeria on Wednesday morning 24 hours after his escape, left for the special court in Sierra Leone after a short stay at his homeland's airport.

Reports from the capital's Roberts International Airport said Taylor, wanted for war crimes and crimes against humanity, was picked up from a Nigerian presidential jet and transferred to Freetown via a UN helicopter by the UN Mission in Liberia.

The Liberian government officials and the UN mission in the tiny west African state were tight lipped on the Taylor's transfer.

But a source at the Liberian president's office who did not want to be identified told Xinhua: "The Taylor's transfer issue was between the Nigerian government and the international community. Liberia has already played its role by requesting the handover of Taylor."

Liberia's new leader Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is expected to address the nation at about 1800 GMT on Wednesday, at which time it is expected that she would comment on Taylor's transfer.

Source: Xinhua