Burkina Faso says it foiled assassination plot against Traoré

Burkina Faso’s military government says it has stopped an alleged plot to kill its leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who took power in September 2022. In a statement broadcast on national television, Security Minister Mahamadou Sana said intelligence services intercepted the plan just before it was due to be executed late on Saturday 3 January.

The alleged conspiracy planned to assassinate the 37‑year‑old junta head and then attack key state institutions, highlighting persistent instability in the West African nation.

What officials allege

Sana told state broadcaster RTB that the plot involved targeted assassinations of senior military and civilian officials, starting with an attempt on Traoré’s life either at close range or by planting explosives at his residence. He said the plotters also intended to disable a drone‑launch base and create conditions for an external military intervention. According to Sana, the operation was due to begin at around 23:00 local time on 3 January, and other key figures were on the hit list as reported by BBC Africa

The minister named Lt Col Paul‑Henri Sandaogo Damiba, the former transitional president who was ousted by Traoré in September 2022, as the principal suspect. He alleged that Damiba recruited soldiers and civilians to form operational cells and mobilise supporters.

Sana accused the former leader of raising funds for the operation, citing a reported 70 million CFA francs (about US$125,000) delivered from neighbouring Côte d’Ivoire, though he provided no documentary evidence. Sana said confession videos of some of those arrested would be released and that investigators were continuing to identify and detain suspects.

No timeline for prosecutions has been given, and there has been no response from Damiba or from the Ivorian authorities to the allegations. Sana urged citizens to remain calm and not be drawn into “dangerous schemes” while the probe continues.

Broader context

Traoré seized power on 30 September 2022, toppling Damiba, who himself had led a coup against elected president Roch Marc Christian Kaboré eight months earlier. Since then, the junta has repeatedly reported plots against it.

On 7 January 2026 the minister said the latest operation was the most sophisticated yet, involving what he described as civil, military and foreign actors. The government did not disclose how many people were arrested, but it said all suspects would be handed over to prosecutors and promised “the full force of the law”.

Burkina Faso faces mounting security challenges amid an insurgency by jihadist groups linked to al‑Qaeda and the Islamic State. Millions have been displaced and large parts of the country remain outside government control. Civil liberties have also deteriorated since the military takeover: a Freedom House report for 2024 noted that the junta suspended multiple news outlets, postponed elections indefinitely and used conscription to silence critics.

The alleged coup plot underscores the fragile political environment in Burkina Faso. Supporters of Traoré have rallied behind his pan‑Africanist rhetoric and criticism of Western influence, while opponents accuse the junta of authoritarianism and repression. Analysts say repeated coup claims and the government’s focus on external funding sources may further strain relations with neighbours such as Côte d’Ivoire.

The security minister’s promise to release confession videos suggests officials are keen to demonstrate transparency, though independent verification of the allegations will be crucial for credibility.

Background on reporting

This aggregated account draws on verified statements from officials broadcast on state television and corroborated by international news agencies.

Source: BBC News