Sierra Leone’s First Lady, Fatima Maada Bio, has strongly rejected reports that she was evicted from a council-owned property in the United Kingdom, insisting that claims surrounding the housing controversy have been distorted by her critics.
Mrs. Bio responded to the issue in a Facebook post following a decision by the Southwark Council in London to reclaim possession of a council flat linked to her.
Reacting to reports of her alleged eviction, the First Lady questioned the basis of the claims, arguing that she does not reside in the property.
“How do you evict a person who does not live in a property? Termination is consensual and both parties agree and sign,” she stated.
She described the reports as “stale news” and accused detractors of attempting to damage her reputation through what she characterized as a coordinated campaign.
The controversy has been under public scrutiny since last year after revelations that Mrs. Bio retained access to the council property despite her husband, Julius Maada Bio, serving as President of Sierra Leone.
The matter sparked criticism from community leaders in Britain and political opponents in Sierra Leone, who argued that the property should have been relinquished years ago, given her current status and circumstances.
In an earlier interview with the BBC, Mrs. Bio explained that she moved to the United Kingdom after fleeing an arranged child marriage and was subsequently allocated the council flat. She said she lived there during her years in Britain.
According to her, after her husband assumed office as president, the property continued to be occupied by her children, who are British citizens.
The First Lady has consistently denied any wrongdoing, maintaining that rent payments on the property were up to date and that she had not violated any housing regulations.
The issue has attracted significant public attention, particularly as more than 18,000 people remain on waiting lists for social housing in the Southwark area of south London, where demand for affordable accommodation continues to outstrip supply.
Since her BBC interview, Mrs. Bio has faced growing criticism from housing campaigners in the UK and political commentators in Sierra Leone.
Despite the backlash, she continues to reject suggestions that she was evicted. However, Southwark Council has indicated that the property will now be reassigned to a local family in urgent need of housing.
