Burkina Faso’s former transitional president, Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, has been arrested in Togo and subsequently expelled, according to local sources, amid allegations that he masterminded multiple coup attempts and assassination plots.
Damiba initially seized power in 2022, ousting then-President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré. However, just eight months later, he was himself overthrown by military leader Ibrahim Traoré, who currently remains in power.
Reports indicate that Damiba was apprehended in Lomé, Togo, last week on charges related to attempted destabilisation of Burkina Faso. He was later transported to an airport, though his final destination remains unclear.
Since his exile in Togo, Damiba has been implicated in several alleged coup and assassination plots. Ouagadougou authorities say they foiled an attempted assassination of Traoré planned for 3 January, with several alleged conspirators appearing on state television and claiming to have acted on orders from Damiba.
Security officials assert that the former leader had plotted targeted killings of both civilian and military figures, with Traoré being the primary target.
The arrest of Damiba underscores ongoing political instability in Burkina Faso, where successive military coups have disrupted governance and heightened tensions within the region.
