A south London council has moved to take back a public housing unit linked to Sierra Leone’s First Lady Fatima Bio after completing an extended investigation into how the property was being used, bringing the flat back into the city’s strained social housing pool.
Southwark Council said the Walworth property is now back under its control following a 12-month probe carried out by its housing investigations unit. The decision comes as the borough continues to face heavy pressure on social housing, with more than 18,000 applicants still on the waiting list and many forced to wait years before being housed.
The matter drew wide attention after Fatima Bio spoke about the property during a BBC Global Women interview, where she reflected on her early life, including escaping a planned child marriage, seeking asylum in Britain, and later rising to become a prominent public figure in Sierra Leone. In the same interview, she defended her link to the south London council home.
"My children are all British citizens."
"I'm paying for my council house myself. I have not committed any crime."
Those remarks sparked debate in both the United Kingdom and Sierra Leone, with public discussion focusing on whether continued occupation of the property aligned with council housing rules, especially at a time when demand for homes is far higher than supply.
The council has now confirmed that the investigation has ended and the property has been recovered for public use. Officials said the home will be allocated to a family in urgent need as part of efforts to reduce pressure on the housing list.
Reginald Popoola, Southwark Council’s executive member for council homes, said in a statement to the BBC:
"I can confirm we have taken possession of a property in Walworth following a 12-month investigation by our Housing Investigations Team.
"I look forward to bringing this council property back to its original purpose which is to provide a safe and secure home for people with legitimate housing need on the council's waiting list,"
"This property will be swiftly allocated to a local family in genuine housing need."
The council did not state that Fatima Bio had been evicted, despite some media reports suggesting so. It also did not accuse her of any wrongdoing.
Authorities also highlighted wider enforcement work targeting misuse of public housing. Southwark Council said 107 council homes have been recovered over the past two years following investigations into suspected tenancy breaches and unlawful occupation.
The case has once again highlighted the pressure on London’s social housing system, where rising demand continues to outstrip available homes across many boroughs, leaving councils under growing pressure to ensure allocations are strictly managed.