BY: Oluwaseye Ogunsanya
Claim
Unconfirmed reports by netizens on X (formerly Twitter) suggests that a coup is ongoing in Côte d’Ivoire.
Verdict
False. No evidence of military takeover in Côte d’Ivoire.
Full Text
Unconfirmed reports by netizens on X (formerly Twitter) suggests that a coup is ongoing in Côte d’Ivoire. The posts which can be found here, here, here and here also have videos of fire incident attached to it, purportedly showing the extent of the seemingly unrest in the West African country.
Screenshot of the claim/X
This development unfolds against the backdrop of democratic decline across the continent, marked by the resurgence of military regimes. These juntas are increasingly perceived as pro-African, advocating for the establishment of new alliances. For example, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger recently withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) following military coups in their respective countries. In response, they formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). These nations have also signaled a willingness to align more closely with China and Russia, signaling a departure from traditional ties with France.
Furthermore, research indicates a growing acceptance of military rule across Africa. Notably, a rising number of young people now favor military governance over democratic systems, which they view as ineffective in tackling the continent’s pressing challenges.
Verification
FactCheckAfrica did an analysis of one of the videos attached to the claim by running the keyframes through reverse image search on Google Lens.
Our search led us to a Facebook page showing a video of a fire incident at a location in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. The video was captioned in French: phrase “Incendie au centre commercial d’Aujamé cheteau” translates to: “Fire at the Aujamé Cheteau shopping mall” in English.
A further investigation revealed that the fire incident occurred in Adjamé, one of the thirteen communes of the Abidjan district. The fire caused damage to the Adjamé Château shopping center around 5 p.m. local time on Tuesday, February 5, 2025. The reports corroborating this evidence can also be found here and here.
Conclusion
While we await official confirmation or denial of the coup from Côte d’Ivoire authorities, our findings show that there is no evidence of military takeover in the West African country based on the video attached to the claim.
