A few days ago, a video from Gabon circulated on social media depicting a white man being escorted to a car by security forces, the claim accompanying the video suggested that this incident took place in Niger and that it involved the forceful expulsion of the French ambassador. However, upon closer examination, it becomes evident that this narrative is far from the truth.

The fake news is spread by people who have anti-France and anti-west perspectives, such as @Onwesimon8 and @Africarevolt.

The True Origin of the Video

We did a fact-check and find out that the video in question does not pertain to Niger or the French ambassador at all, instead, it originates from Gabon, a Central African country. The individual featured in the video is Lee White, a British-Gabonese conservationist who previously served as the Minister of Water, Forest, The Sea, and Environment in Gabon. In addition, General Olingi, the newly appointed president of Gabon, decided to relieve Lee White of his duties, leading to the incident captured in the video. @ZagazOlaMakama, a security analyst, uploaded the actual video.

GABON 🇬🇦
The video below is when the former Minister of Water and Forestry, Lee White was sacked by the New president, General Brice Clotaire Olingi.

The 53-year-old British-born had a long-standing work to conserve biodiversity in Gabon. Lee White first set foot in Gabon in… pic.twitter.com/LsZRxaCMZL

— Zagazola (@ZagazOlaMakama) September 14, 2023

Changes in Gabon’s Government

The video’s context is important in understanding the situation correctly. Gabon recently experienced political changes, resulting in the appointment of new ministers. Colonel Maurice Tocui replaced Lee White as the environment minister in Gabon. This change aligns with Gabon’s ambitious green agenda, which includes initiatives for marine and environmental protection.

Gabon’s economy heavily relies on oil exports, contributing substantially to the country’s revenue. It is noteworthy that the country produces approximately 200,000 barrels of crude oil per day. While these appointments were significant within Gabon and its political landscape, they have no connection to Niger or the French ambassador. To read more about the new government in Gabon, kindly refer to an article by www.reuters.com [archive].

Conclusion

In conclusion, the video featuring Gabon Minister Lee White being escorted by security forces is not linked to Niger or the removal of the French ambassador. Moreover, it is a depiction of political changes occurring in Gabon, where Lee White, a noted conservationist, was replaced as the Minister of Environment. In addition, it is crucial to verify information before sharing it to prevent the spread of misleading narratives. Following a detailed analysis and fact-checking, our team has investigated the claim. You can refer to the findings of this inquiry in the Twitter thread below.

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ANALYSIS: Misleading

FACT:A video that shows security forces surrounding a white man & sending him to another place using a car.The video has been shared with the claim that Niger people,along with security forces, forcefully expelled the French ambassador from Niger.(1/3) pic.twitter.com/TPSzy7Js9J

— D-Intent Data (@dintentdata) September 15, 2023

Claim: The video shows the expulsion of the French ambassador in Niger.

Fact: The video actually depicts the removal of Lee White, a British-Gabonese conservationist, from his position as the Minister of Environment in Gabon. There is no connection of the video to Niger or the French ambassador, it is from Gabon.

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