Since the celebration of Tabaski on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, a persistent rumor has been circulating on social media. Several cyberactivists, primarily affiliated with the Ivorian opposition, claim that President Alassane Ouattara did not attend prayers at the mosque near the Golf Hotel (Cocody). According to them, the images released by the presidency are fake videos generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Verdict: That's FALSE. The head of state was indeed present.

The origin of the rumor

The disinformation was primarily spread on TikTok and Facebook by influential pro-Gbagbo accounts (such as oxy2woody , Le Soldat de Gbagbo , SOLDATS VÉRITÉ.06 , and La Graine ). With over 900,000 followers, their posts quickly went viral, including:

1. Nearly 660,000 views
2. Approximately 27,000 "Likes"
3. Over 1,200 shares

The misinformation explained: The presidential communications team allegedly fabricated a video to cover up Alassane Ouattara's absence.

Factual and technical evidence

Analysis of the facts completely dismantles this digital conspiracy theory through two levels of verification:

1. Massive and independent media coverage

The Ivorian presidency was not the only one filming the event. Several national and independent media outlets covered the prayer live or through detailed reports:

1. TV channels: NCI, 7Info, Reflet TV.
2. Online media: Abidjan.net TV.

All these cameras filmed the president praying, but also delivering his traditional closing statement to journalists.

2. Anti-AI scientific expertise

To put an end to speculation, the disputed video was submitted to Hive AI Detector software, one of the most effective technological tools for detecting digital manipulations.

1. Analysis result: 99.9% probability that the video is authentic. The technical verdict is unequivocal: no trace of AI manipulation was detected.

Conclusion

The accusations of digital manipulation are completely unfounded and based on no concrete evidence. Technological analyses, as well as testimonies from numerous media outlets on the ground, confirm that Alassane Ouattara did indeed celebrate Tabaski at the Golf Hotel mosque on May 27, 2026.

In a context of widespread fake news , it remains essential to cross-check sources and refer to reliable news media before sharing viral content.