Equatorial Guinea’s government has banned its residents from using WhatsApp to download and share multimedia files, following the leak of explicit videos involving a high-ranking government official, Baltasar Engonga, the Director General of the National Financial Investigation Agency.
The controversy erupted when investigators, searching Mr Engonga’s residence as part of a fraud probe, uncovered multiple recordings of his sexual indiscretions with various women, including prominent figures.
The videos, allegedly taken with the women’s consent, were subsequently leaked online, causing a media frenzy.
The government instructed telecom providers, to restrict access to WhatsApp, as social media platforms like X goy littered with Mr Engonga’s sex videos.
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The sex controversy that led to the Whatsapp restrictions
Mr Engonga, the country’s Director General of the National Financial Investigation Agency, trended for days on X where footage of his sexual indiscretion with married women surfaced.
The controversy started when ANIF investigators searched Mr Engonga’s residence and workplace as part of a fraud probe. In the course of their search, they discovered multiple CDs containing footage of his sex romps with different married women.
At least 400 recordings purporting to show Mr Engonga with prominent people, including his brother’s wife, cousin, the president of Equatorial Guinea’s sister, the Director General of police’s wife, and roughly 20 of the nation’s ministries, were leaked online.
The videos have since topped X trends and triggered heated debates on the microblogging platform.
Equatorial Guinea citizens frustrated by the WhatsApp restrictions
On Tuesday, Ahora EG, a local news site based in Equatorial Guinea, reported that residents —on mobile internet — experienced difficulty in sharing multimedia files and leaving them no choice but to rely solely on WiFi networks.
This restriction has caused frustration among the population, as many rely on WhatsApp for communication, work, and education. Locals have expressed concerns about the disproportionate nature of the ban, which they feel punishes the broader public for the actions of a few individuals, Ahora stated in its report.
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Equatorial Guinea’s government installed cameras to combat officials’ misconduct
In response to the leak, the government has approved installation of security cameras in state offices, part of a broader effort to combat official misconduct and enforce public service regulations.
Vice president Teddy Nguema of Equatorial Guinea declared that all state offices will have security cameras.
This approach aims to combat official misconduct and guarantee strict adherence to public service rules.