By Fatima Babih, EdD
In yet another alarming episode for Sierra Leone’s democracy, Fatmata Jabbie aka Fatima Bio, the so called First Lady of Sierra Leone (Mrs. Bio) has found herself at the center of controversy, not for championing the people’s cause but for publicly humiliating government officials and inciting division within her husband’s party. Her recent outburst during a politically charged rally, in the guise of protest in Koidu, Mrs. Bio demonstrated her disregard for unity and respect for others.
Still, the real danger emerged in the aftermath, when, through her Chief Security Officer (CSO Ismail Jalloh), she directly threatened a citizen and indirectly threatened all Sierra Leoneans for daring to speak out against her.
Under the guise of advocating for workers’ rights against Koidu Holdings, Mrs. Bio took the stage as the sole speaker at what quickly turned into a political spectacle. Instead of fostering dialogue, she insulted her husband’s cabinet ministers, labeling them as dogs and publicly dismissing Chief Minister Dr. David Sengeh, telling her audience that he should go to his district rather than involve himself in Koidu’s issues.
Such inflammatory rhetoric not only undermines the governance of the country, but potentially endangers Dr. Sengeh’s safety if he returns to Koidu, as her words could easily embolden violence from agitated supporters.
Threats of CSO: A Proxy for Mrs. Bio’s Wrath
Mrs. Bio’s reckless speech drew condemnation even from within her husband’s Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP). One supporter, known as Mr. T-Love, bravely spoke out, sharing an audio message criticizing the First Lady’s divisive and insulting language. But instead of respecting his freedom of speech and right to express his opinion, Mrs. Bio, through his security apparatus, responded to Mr. T-Love with threats and intimidation.
Shortly after his audio was circulated, Mr. T-Love received a phone call, from a man who identified himself as CSO Jalloh, the chief security officer for First Lady Fatima Bio. The call was recorded and here is my best attempt at transcribing in English what CSO Jalloh said to Mr. T-Love in Krio.
CSO Jalloh says,
Your audio was sent to me, and you were making allegations on the First Lady, accusing her of things that are not true.
Mr. T-Love attempts to say something, but Jalloh cuts him off saying,
I’m coming. Even if you want to record me I want you to record me.
Mr. T-Love tries again to say something. Again Jalloh cuts him off saying,
Listen to me. In this country we should learn to respect leaders. I am telling you now, as a police officer, I am her chief security officer, and I am the one who will arrest you. I will hunt you down wherever you are. I will arrest you and you have to bring evidence. Mrs. Bio went to Kono and she said people are suffering because of those who take brown envelopes. If she said dogs and you know you are not a dog taking brown envelopes to suffer Sierra Leoneans, I don’t think you should mention her speech. She did not talk to you and did not call names, why are you accusing her that she was talking about government officials?
Again, Mr. T-Love tries to respond saying,
Bossman, let me ask you a question.
Again, the arrogant bully CSO Jalloh cuts him off saying,
I just called for you to get my number. We are going to look for you. Just as you have a right as a citizen I have the right to take action against you. We will look for you and we will go to the extent. I will have you arrested, and you will go and prove it.
Mr. T-Love attempts again to say something.
Again CSO Jalloh rudely cuts him off saying,
I’m done with you.
And then hangs up.
Jalloh’s repeated interruptions, refusal to let Mr. T-Love speak, and threats of state-sanctioned violence reveal an alarming abuse of power, for which Mrs. Bio is now well-known. Just as Mrs. Bio has weaponized her position as First Lady, her CSO also weaponized his position as a police officer to act as the First Lady’s enforcer, erasing the line between state security and political thuggery.
By saying to Mr. T-Love we will hunt you down simply because, as a citizen, he criticized Mrs. Bio, Jalloh essentially re-affirmed what the people of this country have known since Julius Bio became president, that free speech in Sierra Leone is punishable by persecution.
An Attack on Freedom of Speech and Democracy
Though the threats came from Jalloh’s mouth, the message was unmistakably from Mrs. Fatima Bio. A security officer acts on orders. Jalloh’s eagerness to silence T-Love isn’t just misplaced loyalty; it is a calculated move by Mrs. Bio to silence Sierra Leoneans through fear and intimidation.
This incident shows that Mrs. Bio lacks accountability and is willing to use state resources to intimidate and threaten critics. It’s important to note that Jalloh, as the Chief Security Officer, is a direct extension of Mrs. Bio’s power and influence.
Such behavior has been consistent with Mrs. Bio since becoming first lady, which is a dangerous precedent. It signals that citizens who dare to question the First Lady’s conduct risk being harassed, arrested, or killed. This pattern of repression mirrors her husband’s tactics of authoritarian rule, he has consistently used security forces to crush dissent rather than protect the people. This pattern in the Julius Bio regime has led to a significant erosion of democratic values in Sierra Leone.
Who Can Hold Mrs. Bio Accountability?
Sierra Leoneans have lived in this condition since Julius Bio became president. With many extra judicial killings, arrests and imprisonments, his regime will go down in history as one that turned the country into a state where criticism is criminalized, and leaders rule through fear and intimidation. Mrs. Bio’s reckless speech and her subsequent threats, through her CSO, is not only to Mr. T-Love but to all Sierra Leoneans. A glaring examples of her abuse of position and power.
The question is, who can hold Mrs. Bio accountable? Where are Civil society, the media, and human rights organizations in Sierra Leone that should call for an immediate investigation into CSO Jalloh’s threats and demand that Mrs. Bio publicly denounce these threats? Their silence speaks volumes about their complicity.
A democracy cannot flourish when citizens live in fear of their leaders. The people of Sierra Leone deserve better. We deserve leaders who respect our voices, not ones who seek to silence us through threats of violence. And we deserve a First Lady who uplifts the nation, not one who tears it apart with her words and weaponized position and security forces.
MAMA SALONE ~ Lioness of the West Coast 