For two tense days in May 2025, social media hinted at the worst: gunfire in Abidjan, a vanished president, and whispers of a coup in Ivory Coast. As voices online clashed and panic rippled through West African circles, the truth was slower — but steadier — to surface. What happens when rumours move faster than leaders?
A viral false alarm stirred regional fear, fuelled by history and hashtags. But the truth, led by a calm official response, eventually caught up.
- Social media buzz on 21–22 May claimed a coup was happening in Ivory Coast.
- False reports included claims of President Ouattara fleeing, deaths, and an internet blackout.
- Official sources later confirmed the president was safe and in Abidjan.
- The ECOWAS Parliament and other authorities labelled the claims as false.
- The incident reveals the influence and risk of online misinformation in politically tense regions.
President Ouattara remained in office and control, no coup, no warrant issued, just a digitally amplified echo of past unrest.
