Burkina Faso’s military-led government says it has foiled a fresh coup attempt that included a planned assassination of interim president Captain Ibrahim Traoré, alleging the operation was fully recorded on video and financed with foreign backing.
In a late-night national broadcast, Security Minister Mahamadou Sana said intelligence services intercepted the plot in its final stages, just hours before it was to be carried out. According to the authorities, the conspirators planned to kill Traoré on Saturday, January 3, shortly after 11:00 p.m. local time, either by planting explosives at his residence or attacking him at close range.
Sana alleged that the mastermind behind the operation was Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, the former transitional leader overthrown by Traoré in September 2022. Damiba himself had come to power earlier that same year through a military takeover, before being removed amid frustration over his handling of Burkina Faso’s escalating Islamist insurgency.
“Our intelligence services intercepted this operation in the final hours,” Sana said. “They had planned to assassinate the head of state and then strike other key institutions, including civilian personalities.”
Authorities claim security agents obtained a video recording in which the plotters discussed the assassination plan and subsequent attacks on senior military and civilian officials. The government further alleges that the group intended to sabotage the country’s drone-launch base, a key military asset, before any external forces could respond.
According to Sana, the operation was backed by foreign funding, most notably 70 million CFA francs, roughly US$125,000, which he said originated from neighbouring Côte d’Ivoire. Neither Damiba nor Ivorian authorities have publicly responded to the allegations.
The government says several arrests have already been made and investigations are ongoing. “These individuals will be brought to justice soon,” Sana told viewers, while urging citizens not to be drawn into what he described as “dangerous schemes.”
Traoré, who came to power at the age of 34, has faced multiple reported coup attempts since assuming office and continues to confront a worsening jihadist conflict that has displaced millions across the Sahel nation. Despite the instability, he retains strong domestic support, particularly among young people, and has gained wider attention across Africa for his nationalist rhetoric, criticism of Western influence, and push for greater self-reliance.
Since taking control, Traoré has reshaped Burkina Faso’s foreign policy, distancing the country from traditional Western partners while strengthening ties with non-Western allies. His government has framed repeated coup allegations as evidence of external interference aimed at destabilising the country during a critical security and political transition.
For now, officials have not disclosed how many people are in custody or released further details about the alleged recording, but insist the situation is under control.
Burkina Faso moves to reinstate death penalty amid deepening military consolidation
