Burkina Faso military junta dares ECOWAS leaders, refuses to set exit date

The military junta in Burkina Faso led by Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Damiba that overthrew President Roch Kabore, may have dared leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), when it declined to fix a date for exit, though the military regime assured to commence transition to return to constitutional rule.

Lt. Col. Paul-Henri Damiba in his first national broadcast since the military coup, put blames on ousted President Kabore, who he said, failed to deal decisively with Islamist militants who have killed not less than 2,000 civilians and several security personnel in the last two years.

Lt-Col Damiba disclosed that the priority of the military regime is to wage war against the jihadists in Burkina Faso,  and recapture rural areas, then, provide the environment conducive for the return of the 1.5 million people who fled their homes and had been displaced because of the violence of the jihadists.

Lt-Col Damiba has been in the war front in the battle against Islamists in the country before the coup.

The new head of state disclosed that he will hold consultative meetings with representatives of various sections of society in Burkina Faso for consensus on a path to reforms, before proceeding with the transition to civilian government. Lt-Col Damiba said that the wide condemnation of the coup was unnecessary, and that Burkina Faso deserves more external support to deal with the challenges in the country.  “I call on the international community to support our country so it can exit this crisis as soon as possible” he said.

The military had also taken over power in Mali, overthrowing  late President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, who died after the coup that ousted him out of office.

Leader of ECOWAS had held an emergency meeting on the coup in Burkina Faso.