Togo has arrested and extradited Burkina Faso’s former leader, Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, to his home country following accusations that he plotted to assassinate his successor.
Damiba, who came to power in a military coup in January 2022 before being overthrown eight months later by Ibrahim Traoré, is accused by the current authorities in Ouagadougou of masterminding an attempted assassination against Traoré. According to Togo’s justice ministry, Damiba was handed over to Burkinabè authorities on Saturday under an agreement that guarantees his physical safety, dignity, fair-trial rights, and exemption from the death penalty.
In a statement, the Togolese authorities said Burkina Faso’s military government has brought multiple charges against the former president, including criminal embezzlement of public funds, illicit enrichment, corruption, aggravated receipt of stolen goods, and money laundering. The most serious allegation relates to an alleged murder plot.
Damiba has not publicly commented on the accusations, and attempts to reach him have so far been unsuccessful.
Earlier this month, Burkina Faso’s security minister, Mahamadou Sana, announced on state television that security forces had foiled a series of planned targeted assassinations aimed at destabilising the country. These plans reportedly included what officials described as the “neutralisation” of President Traoré. Authorities have repeatedly accused Damiba of coordinating destabilisation efforts from exile and previously named him as the head of a so-called military wing of a wider conspiracy.
Damiba seized power in 2022 after toppling the elected government of Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, capitalising on public frustration over the state’s inability to curb Islamist militant violence. However, his leadership was short-lived, and he was removed by Traoré, then a 34-year-old artillery officer who accused him of failing to improve security.
Since taking control, the Traoré-led junta has tightened its grip on Burkina Faso, expelling French forces, adopting a strongly nationalist posture, and reinstating the death penalty, including for crimes such as high treason. Despite these measures, the country continues to face one of the world’s most severe security crises, with jihadist attacks ongoing across large areas.
Political analysts say Damiba’s return to Burkina Faso under arrest could heighten tensions within the military and political establishment. They warn that repeated allegations of coup plots, deepening internal divisions, and persistent insecurity may raise further questions about the stability of a government already under pressure from both insurgent violence and internal rivalries.
