Burkina Faso says it has thwarted an assassination plot against military leader Capt. Ibrahim Traoré, alleging the operation was orchestrated by Lt. Col. Paul Henri Damiba — the officer Traoré ousted in a 2022 coup — and financed in part from neighboring Ivory Coast.
Security Minister Mahamadou Sana announced the discovery late Wednesday, saying intelligence services “intercepted this operation in the final hours.” He said the plan aimed to kill the head of state and strike “other key institutions, including civilian personalities.” Sana did not specify the number of arrests but said detentions have been made and investigations are under way.
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There has been no comment from Damiba or the Ivorian government.
Sana said authorities uncovered a leaked video in which conspirators discussed tactics and timing for the attack. According to the minister, the plotters weighed killing Traoré at close range or by planting explosives at his residence, scheduling the operation just after 11 p.m. local time on Saturday, Jan. 3. He added that the group also discussed targeting other senior military and civilian figures and knocking out the country’s drone-launch base “before foreign forces could intervene.”
The suspects “mobilized both soldiers and civilian supporters,” Sana alleged, adding that they had secured foreign funding, including about 70 million CFA francs (roughly $125,000) he said was delivered from Ivory Coast. He urged citizens not to be misled “into dangerous schemes” and insisted the situation is under control.
The claims, if confirmed, would mark the latest turbulence in Burkina Faso’s volatile transition since Traoré took power in September 2022 amid spiraling insecurity. The 37-year-old captain has faced at least two coup attempts while confronting an intensifying jihadist insurgency that has forced millions from their homes and cut off communities across the north and east. Traoré maintains strong popular support at home and has drawn a following across the continent with his pan-Africanist rhetoric and criticism of Western influence, even as rights groups and local critics accuse his administration of authoritarian tactics, including curbs on the press and arbitrary detentions of military officers.
Burkina Faso’s military-led government has previously pointed to Ivory Coast as an external meddler — claims Abidjan has rejected — and Wednesday’s allegations risk aggravating already fraught regional dynamics. Sana did not present evidence beyond referencing the purported video, and the government did not release footage publicly. Absent confirmation from Damiba or Ivorian officials, the accusations remain unverified.
Damiba led Burkina Faso from January to September 2022 after ousting an elected government, pledging to reverse the country’s slide in security. He was deposed by Traoré nine months later and relocated to neighboring Togo, where he issued a message on social media wishing his successor success.
With the latest claims, the junta is signaling vigilance while underscoring the threat it says it faces from internal and external actors. Whether the episode consolidates Traoré’s standing or compounds political strains could hinge on what — if any — evidence authorities make public and how swiftly the courts handle the case.
- What officials allege: A foiled bid to assassinate Capt. Ibrahim Traoré and strike key institutions.
- Who is accused: Lt. Col. Paul Henri Damiba, Burkina Faso’s former leader, and unnamed military and civilian supporters.
- How it was to happen: Close-range attack or explosives at the president’s residence around 11 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 3, with further strikes planned.
- Money trail: About 70 million CFA francs (approximately $125,000) allegedly delivered from Ivory Coast.
- Current status: Arrests made; investigation ongoing; no public evidence released; no comment from Damiba or Ivorian authorities.
The government’s next steps — and any corroboration it offers — will be closely watched across West Africa, where overlapping coups, insurgencies and diplomatic rifts continue to test the region’s stability.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
