Military junta says Burkina Faso foiled plot to kill Captain Ibrahim Traoré

Burkina Faso has announced that a plot to assassinate the country’s military leader Captain Ibrahim Traoré has been foiled.

The security minister said in a late-night broadcast that the complex plan was hatched by Lieutenant Colonel Paul Henri Damiba, an army officer dismissed by Traore in September 2022.

Mahamadou Sana said: “Our intelligence services intercepted this operation in the last hours. They planned to assassinate the head of state and then attack other key institutions, including civilian figures.” He further alleged that the plot was funded by neighboring Côte d’Ivoire.

Neither Colonel Damiba nor Ivory Coast commented.

Captain Traoré has faced at least two coup attempts since seizing power, as well as growing jihadist violence that has forced millions from their homes.

Despite these challenges and his authoritarian reputation, the 37-year-old military leader has maintained strong popular support and won followers across the continent for his pan-Africanist vision and criticism of Western influence.

According to the security minister, authorities discovered a leaked video showing the plotters discussing their plans.

In the video, they allegedly described how they planned to assassinate the president after 23:00 local time on Saturday, January 3, either from close range or by planting explosives at the president’s official residence.

They then allegedly planned to target other senior military and civilian figures.

Sana claimed that Damiba mobilized soldiers and civilian supporters, secured foreign funding – the most significant of which was 70 million CFA francs ($125,000; £92,000) from Ivory Coast – and planned to destroy the country’s drone launch bases before foreign forces intervened.

“We are conducting an ongoing investigation and have made several arrests. These people will be brought to justice soon,” the minister said on state television.

Sana insisted that the situation was under control and urged citizens “not to be misled out of naivety into dangerous plans”.

It was unclear how many people were arrested.

Critics at home and abroad accuse Traoré of authoritarianism and say his government has stifled dissent, including arbitrary arrests of military officers and restrictions on the media.

This is not the first time the military junta has accused foreign countries of meddling in Côte d’Ivoire’s affairs.

These ongoing internal power struggles will further exacerbate regional tensions.

Colonel Damiba served as leader of Burkina Faso from January to September 2022 after seizing power from the democratically elected government.

After being deported, he went into exile in neighboring Togo and In a message posted on social media, he said he wished his successor well.