Reports on social media and local news platforms say President Dr. Julius Maada Bio is in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and may be unable to leave the city amid escalating conflict in the Middle East, where air travel has been widely disrupted, according to unverified online news reports.
The reports, which have been widely shared on social channels, claim the Sierra Leonean leader travelled to Dubai secretly and is reportedly “stranded” as escalating tensions from the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran have led to the closure of airports and suspension of flights in the region — including at Dubai International Airport. 
However, there has been no independent confirmation by Sierra Leone’s government, official spokesmen, or established international media outlets that the president is stranded or that his movements have been restricted due to the conflict. A separate local news report confirmed Bio’s attendance at the World Governments Summit in Dubai earlier in February 2026, but did not indicate any travel difficulties.
The broader geopolitical situation in the Middle East has disrupted global aviation, with major carriers cancelling flights and airspace closures implemented across parts of the Gulf region amid reports of military escalation. Similar travel disruptions have left other international travellers stranded, including foreign nationals in Gulf cities. 
Bio, who has served as Sierra Leone’s president since 2018, also holds the rotating chairmanship of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a position under which he has publicly condemned rising global tensions and called for restraint in international conflicts. 
The Sierra Leone government did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday about the president’s travel status or these online reports.
