Burkina Faso’s military has disclosed that it thwarted a sophisticated scheme aimed at eliminating the nation’s transitional president, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, along with several other prominent military and civilian figures.
According to the military, the plot, allegedly masterminded by Lieutenant Colonel Paul Henri Damiba, the former leader ousted by Traoré in a previous coup, involved mobilizing both soldiers and civilian supporters while securing substantial foreign funding to execute the deadly operation.
Mahamadou Sana, the security minister, said the alleged assassination plot was scheduled for the night of January 3 and involved civil, military, and foreign actors.
“Our intelligence services intercepted this operation in the final hours. They had planned to assassinate the head of state and then strike other key institutions, including civilian personalities,” Sana said.
He further alleged that Damiba had secured 70 million CFA francs, equivalent to about $125,000, delivered from neighboring Ivory Coast, and intended to disable the country’s drone-launch base to hinder any rapid intervention by foreign forces.
“We are carrying out ongoing investigations and have made several arrests. These individuals will be brought to justice soon,” the minister emphasized on national television, assuring the public that the situation remains firmly under control.
Sana urged citizens “not to be misled, out of naivety, into dangerous schemes,” highlighting the junta’s vigilance against internal and external threats in a nation already beleaguered by escalating jihadist violence that has displaced millions.
This incident marks at least the third coup attempt against Traoré since he seized power in September 2022, underscoring persistent instability in Burkina Faso, where the young leader enjoys widespread support for his pan-Africanist policies and critiques of Western dominance.
Critics, however, accuse Traoré of authoritarian practices, including arbitrary detentions of officers and media restrictions, while regional tensions rise due to repeated allegations of interference from Ivory Coast in Burkina Faso’s internal affairs.
