Burkina Faso foils assassination plot against Traoré, fingers ex-leader Damiba

Burkina Faso’s military government has announced that it has foiled an alleged coup plot aimed at assassinating the country’s leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, accusing former interim president Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba of masterminding the operation.

The announcement was made late Tuesday by the Minister of Security, Mahamadou Sana, who said intelligence services uncovered the plot in its final stages, just hours before it was to be carried out.

“Our intelligence services intercepted this operation in the final hours,” Sana said in a televised address. “The plan was to assassinate the head of state and then launch coordinated attacks on other key institutions, including civilian personalities.”

Sana alleged that the plot was financed from neighbouring Côte d’Ivoire and involved both military personnel and civilians recruited to support a planned takeover.

He claimed Damiba, who was ousted by Traoré in September 2022, was responsible for planning the operation, mobilising resources and coordinating recruitment.

According to the security minister, authorities intercepted and later leaked a video in which the alleged plotters were seen discussing plans to assassinate Traoré.

In the footage, the suspects reportedly debated carrying out the attack at close range or planting explosives at the president’s residence, with the operation scheduled for around 11:00 p.m. local time on Saturday, January 3.

The BBC reported that the plot also involved targeted assassinations of senior military officers and civilian officials, as well as plans to neutralise Burkina Faso’s drone base before the intervention of external forces.

Sana further claimed that the alleged conspirators secured foreign funding, including about 70 million CFA francs (approximately $125,000), and sought to destabilise the country before announcing a change in leadership.

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“We are carrying out ongoing investigations and have made several arrests. These individuals will be brought to justice soon,” the minister said, while assuring citizens that the situation was under control.

However, the government did not disclose the number of people arrested, citing security and confidentiality concerns. Sana said authorities would publicly name only the principal suspect, identifying Damiba as the central figure behind the alleged plot.

He explained that soldiers involved were tasked with recruiting fellow troops and forming operational cells, while civilians were expected to mobilise public support once the military phase of the plan was executed.

Neither Lt Col Damiba nor the Ivorian government has responded publicly to the allegations. Damiba, who led Burkina Faso from January to September 2022 following a military coup, had previously wished Traoré well in a social media post after his removal from power.

Since taking control, Captain Traoré has faced at least two reported coup attempts while contending with escalating jihadist violence that has displaced millions across the country.

Despite his increasingly authoritarian style of governance, the 37-year-old leader continues to enjoy strong domestic support and has gained wider attention across Africa for his pan-Africanist rhetoric and criticism of Western influence.