Burkina Faso Government Says Assassination Plot Against Military Leader Ibrahim Traoré has Prevented

Burkina Faso’s military authorities say they have thwarted an alleged plot to assassinate the country’s leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, accusing former junta head Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Damiba of orchestrating the plan.

In a late-night national broadcast, Security Minister Mahamadou Sana said intelligence services uncovered the plot in its final stages, claiming it involved plans to kill Traoré and subsequently launch coordinated attacks on key state institutions and prominent civilian figures.

“Our intelligence services intercepted this operation at the last moment. The plan was to assassinate the head of state and then target other strategic institutions, including civilian personalities,” Sana said. He alleged that the operation was financed from neighbouring Côte d’Ivoire.

There was no immediate response from Damiba, who was ousted by Traoré in a September 2022 coup, nor from Ivorian authorities.

According to the minister, investigators obtained a leaked video purportedly showing the alleged plotters discussing how to carry out the assassination. He said Traoré was to be killed either by close-range shooting or by explosives planted at his residence shortly after 11:00 pm local time on Saturday, January 3. Further attacks on senior military officers and civilian leaders were also allegedly planned.

Sana claimed Damiba mobilised both military personnel and civilians, secured foreign funding, including an alleged 70 million CFA francs (about $125,000) transferred from Côte d’Ivoire, and intended to sabotage Burkina Faso’s drone-launch base to prevent external intervention.

He said several arrests had been made and investigations were ongoing, adding that those involved would be brought to justice. The minister assured citizens that the situation was under control and urged them not to be drawn into what he described as “dangerous schemes.” Authorities did not disclose the number of suspects detained.

Captain Traoré, who took power in 2022, has faced multiple reported coup attempts while battling escalating jihadist violence that has displaced millions. Despite growing security challenges and criticism over authoritarian practices, the 37-year-old leader retains strong domestic support and has gained regional attention for his pan-Africanist rhetoric and criticism of Western influence.

Critics, however, accuse the military government of suppressing dissent through arbitrary arrests and restrictions on media freedom. The junta has also repeatedly blamed foreign interference, particularly from Côte d’Ivoire, for internal instability, claims that have previously strained diplomatic relations.

Damiba, who ruled Burkina Faso from January to September 2022 after toppling an elected government, fled into exile in Togo following his removal. He had publicly wished his successor well at the time, a position that contrasts sharply with the latest allegations.

The foiled plot highlights continued internal power struggles in Burkina Faso, deepening concerns about political instability and rising regional tensions in West Africa.