Rumours were rife in Cote d’ Ivoire on Wednesday about unconfirmed reports of a military coup amid high political tensions that have engulfed the West African country.
Social media reports sparked alarm with claims of alleged significant violence and internet disruptions, fuelling speculations that President Alassane Ouattara had either been captured and killed by the coupists or he had fled the county.
Over 33 deaths were reported between May 19 and 20 amid a media blackout and widespread unrest that could escalate into civil war. Despite the huge concern about the coup, all the major channels have not reported news about the coup at the time of filing this report on Wednesday night.
At the time of filing this report, the Ivorian embassy in Abuja was yet to react to the rumour but an Ivorian source from the ECOWAS Parliament in Abuja, who does not want his name in print, dismissed the rumoured coup as “fake news.”
Cote d’ Ivoire is not new to military coups and political volatility, notably the crisis that engulfed that country after the disputed 2010 election that was settled by a civil war that led to the death of over 3,000 people.
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The cocoa-producing country has been a regional hub. On May 14, 2025, Africa Global Logistics announced a €60 million investment in inland logistics to strengthen the country’s transport infrastructure. This move aligns with Ivory Coast’s robust economic growth, averaging over 6% annually in recent years, and its ambition to enhance connectivity across West Africa.
A coup at this time could roll back this achievement and could once again endanger the country’s political landscape amid the expectation of a coming election in October 2025,
This coup, if confirmed, could dent the reputation of the country, which has been relatively stable since the crisis of 2010, and may strengthen the surge of military takeover of democratic governments in West Africa. The region is still grappling with coups in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, which have prompted the three countries to pull out of the regional bloc ECOWAS.
However, the country’s recent stability and economic progress suggest a complex situation rather than an immediate descent into chaos. Authorities have not commented on the alleged coup, and until credible evidence emerges, the claims on X remain speculative. But eyes are on Cote d’ Ivoire as events unfold. (LEADERSHIP)
