Togo has arrested and extradited Burkina Faso’s former leader, Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, to his home country following accusations by authorities in Ouagadougou that he was involved in a plot to assassinate his successor, President Ibrahim Traoré.
Damiba, who seized power in a military coup in January 2022 before being overthrown eight months later, is accused by Burkina Faso’s current military government of masterminding an attempted assassination aimed at destabilising the state.
According to Togo’s Ministry of Justice, Damiba was handed over to Burkinabè authorities on Saturday under an agreement that guarantees his physical safety, dignity, and fair-trial rights, and excludes the use of the death penalty.
In addition to the alleged murder plot, Damiba faces multiple charges, including criminal embezzlement of public funds, illicit enrichment, corruption, aggravated receipt of stolen goods, and money laundering, the Togolese justice ministry said in a statement.
Damiba has not publicly responded to the accusations, and attempts by the BBC to reach him for comment were 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, including what he described as an attempt to “neutralise” President Traoré. Authorities have repeatedly alleged that Damiba coordinated such plots from exile, naming him again in late 2024 as the leader of the so-called “military wing” of a broader conspiracy.
Damiba originally took power after overthrowing elected president Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, amid public frustration over the government’s failure to contain Islamist insurgent violence. His removal in September 2022 paved the way for Traoré, then a 34-year-old artillery officer, who accused Damiba of failing to improve security conditions.
Since assuming power, the Traoré-led junta has consolidated control, expelled French military forces, adopted a strong nationalist posture, and recently reinstated the death penalty, including for crimes of high treason.
Despite these measures, Burkina Faso continues to face one of the world’s most severe security crises, with jihadist attacks persisting across large parts of the country.
Analysts say Damiba’s return under arrest, coupled with the breadth of charges he faces, is likely to heighten tensions within the country’s military and political establishment, raising fresh concerns about stability amid ongoing insurgency and internal rivalries.
