|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Social media users claimed there was a coup in Ivory Coast ( Cote d’Ivoire). These claims were supported by several images and videos of military activities, depicting a military takeover in the country.
The claim was mostly circulated between May 21 to May 24, 2025.
The claims surfacing on several social media platforms, including X and TikTok, have several videos and images depicting violence in the country’s capital, Abidjan, and a possible military takeover in Ivory Coast.
Some of the comments under the X post expressed desires for this coup. @gerald_okocha commented that “It is not yet confirmed. I pray it’s true oooooo”. On TikTok, others who believed the claim prayed for a coup in other African countries, including Kenya and Nigeria.
@marwanabdulaziz62 commented “We pray for Nigeria to join insha Allah”
More Read
This is coming in the build-up to the general elections slated to hold on October 25 in Ivory Coast.
Ivory Coast has been marked with several political conflicts, from a 1999 military coup to civil war in 2011, to the recent court ruling barring opposition candidate Tidjane Thiam from contesting the forthcoming elections because of his current French nationality.
Concerns have been raised over the possible reelection of the current president for a fourth term after a constitutional amendment in 2016 that allowed him to run for a third five-year term in 2020.
This led to a protest resulting in the death of at least four people.
Although social media users have been seen to glorify military takeovers in West Africa recently, these posts depicting a military takeover in Ivory Coast are capable of stirring political violence in the forthcoming election, hence the need for ROUNDCHECK to investigate it.
ROUNDCHECK Findings
On May 21, 2025, an X user posted that there was an ongoing coup d’état in Ivory Coast, adding that Africa would be liberated through the barrel of a gun. Another X user shared this video depicting a coup in Ivory Coast, and as of Tuesday, 27th May 2025, it had garnered 500 retweets and 1000 likes.
ROUNDCHECK’s findings revealed that the video is misleading. A reverse image search of the video keyframe revealed that the video was from a violent fire that broke out on February 5, 2025, in the annex building of the Château Shopping Centre, located in the Adjamé district of Abidjan, the Ivory Coast capital.
Another X user posted a video claiming Ivory Coast military Coup was successful, and the president has allegedly fled the country. This claim video has been viewed 149,500 times and has been retweeted 2,500 times as of Tuesday, 27th May, 2025.
ROUNDCHECK, however, discovered that this video posted was from Burkina Faso, and not Ivory Coast as claimed
TikTok Is a Haven For This Misinformation
Some of the videos ROUNDCHECK saw on X originated from TikTok influencers. For example, this misleading video that appeared on X was initially shared by an Ibrahim Traoré supporter, Arouna Burkinbila (sawadogo1066), who has a large followership on TikTok.
Arouna has most of his content glorifying the Burkina Faso junta leader.
ROUNDCHECK noticed that the video which Arouna shared was edited to fit his narrative of a coup in Ivory Coast. The original video was obtained from another TikToker. This video, which is not related to Ivory Coast or Africa, was edited by Arouna.
Narrative Is Being Pushed On X
ROUNDCHECK observed that several X users posted this claim of a coup in Ivory Coast, with some more popular and having a large following, which gave the claim traction.
ROUNDCHECK identified some of these accounts.
Our investigation revealed that the claims that a Coup took place in Ivory Coast, and the images and videos attached, are all false, manipulated or unrelated.
A deeper finding also revealed that the handlers of these X accounts mostly post content around coups, military takeovers or foreign dominance in Africa. The simple aim is for engagements, click baits and propaganda.
Military Coup In Ivory Coast Is False
The information about the military takeover of Ivory Coast flooded several social media platforms on Wednesday, 21st of May, 2025. ROUNDCHECK findings revealed that these claims are false, as there was no coup in Ivory Coast.
The President, Alassane Ouattara, on the same day when the coup information was shared, presided over a council of ministers meeting at the presidential palace in Abidjan, the Ivorian capital.
According to the official X account of the presidency, discussions around affordable housing and solar power plants were raised during the meeting.
This debunked the claim that the Ivory Coast President had fled the country because of the coup.
On the 22nd of May 2025, President Ouattara offered a speech during the ceremony of the Award of the Félix HOUPHOUËT-BOIGNY – UNESCO Peace Prize in Abidjan.
Also, the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group’s 2025 Annual Meetings kicked off on Monday, 27th May, with Ivory Coast being the host country, and President Ouattara was present.
ROUNDCHECK checked reputable news platforms like CNN, BBC and Ivory Coast media platforms, Abidjan, and Fratmat, and there was no report of a coup in the country. Al Jazeera, however, debunked these social media claims.
Call For Military Takeover In West Africa
Since the coup that rocked several countries in the Sahel region, the call for military takeover in other parts of West Africa has been cutting through borders. Several actors who use disinformation techniques have had to glorify these junta leaders, causing further distrust in the democratic system.
DUBAWA has initially reported how thousands of users are spreading pro-authoritarian narratives using disinformation techniques and inciting young Ghanaians and Nigerians to take up arms and push back democracy.
This is the same for an X User, @MartynsObot, who commented on one of the misleading videos cited by ROUNDCHECK, expressing displeasure over the continued democratic rule in Nigeria.
“If there are still brave military men in Nigeria like we had before OBJ retired some most of them, by now d streets of Nigeria would be buzzling with echo of joy like this. But unfortunately, what we have now in camouflage are vegetables who care only for what gets into pockets,” [sic], the X user said.
As these trends continue to become more visible, the Africa Center for Strategic Studies warns that these disinformation campaigns have directly driven deadly violence, promoted and validated military coups, cowed civil society members into silence, and served as smokescreens for corruption and exploitation.
The Center revealed that Disinformation campaigns seeking to manipulate African information systems have surged nearly fourfold since 2022, triggering destabilising and antidemocratic consequences.
“West Africa is the region most targeted by disinformation—accounting for nearly 40 percent of documented disinformation campaigns in Africa. Roughly half of these attacks are connected to Russia,” part of the report reads.
Disinformation Threatens Democracy In West Africa
Disinformation poses a serious threat to democracy and undermines trust in public institutions, warns Malik Samuel, a Senior Researcher at Good Governance Africa.
He cited the recent circulation of false reports about a coup in Ivory Coast as a stark reminder of how disinformation can destabilise democratic governance in the region.
“Even when unfounded, such claims can cause significant harm by weakening public trust in state institutions, normalising unconstitutional actions, and fuelling political and ethnic tensions,” Malik explained.
He added that disinformation can disrupt electoral processes, destabilise regions, and spread fear and uncertainty among the public.
According to Malik, the growing calls for military coups in parts of Africa stem largely from deep-rooted public frustration over poor governance, insecurity, economic hardship, and the erosion of democratic values.
He noted that many people, especially the youth, feel politically and economically marginalised.
“This sense of exclusion is made worse by attempts from some political leaders to prolong their rule through constitutional manipulation, which further undermines the legitimacy of democratic institutions,” he said. “As a result, coup narratives are increasingly resonating with young people who, seeing their future prospects diminish, feel stifled by authoritarian governments that suppress dissent.”
Malik emphasised that these conditions create fertile ground for bad actors to exploit public discontent, often through the rapid spread of disinformation online. The rise of digital platforms and social media has made it easier than ever for individuals to spread false narratives without verifying their accuracy.
To address this threat, Malik called for a multifaceted response, including robust public education through mass media, consistent fact-checking, and a firm commitment to transparent and accountable governance, where citizens feel genuinely included, heard, and confident that their votes matter.
Ikemesit Effiong, Partner and Head of Research at SBM Intelligence, added that strengthening democracy also requires deeper citizen engagement and forward-thinking discussions around civic inclusion.
He noted that many people in West Africa feel that democracy has not delivered tangible benefits in their daily lives or led to real development in their communities.
“For many in the region, the question is: what’s the point of democracy? If it doesn’t result in better schools, higher-paying jobs, improved living standards, or a brighter future, why are we pursuing it?” he asked.
Effiong argued that for democracy to regain its legitimacy in the region, governments must deliver better outcomes for their citizens. Failing to do so could render their continued hold on power questionable.
He also called for more media literacy programs to educate citizens about the core tenets of democracy and equip them to recognise disinformation. He urged experts to adopt the same tactics used by disinformation purveyors to reach wider audiences, especially those in power.
“We need more explainer videos. We need more experts to become independent content creators,” he said. “Part of the legitimacy crisis stems from the perception that almost all institutions—including legacy media—have lost public trust. That’s why we need independent voices who understand information integrity to take to platforms like TikTok and YouTube.”
Effiong concluded by emphasising the need for more public educators and greater investment in programs that empower academics, researchers, and institutional actors to build independent platforms that deepen media literacy and democratic awareness.