- Togo has arrested and extradited former Burkina Faso leader Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba
- Burkina Faso accuses Damiba of plotting to assassinate President Ibrahim Traoré
- Togolese authorities say the extradition followed guarantees of fair trial and no death penalty
Togo has detained and extradited former Burkinabè leader Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba to Burkina Faso after authorities in Ouagadougou accused him of plotting to assassinate the country’s current leader.
Damiba, who took power in a 2022 coup before being ousted eight months later by Ibrahim Traoré, is alleged by the ruling military government to have orchestrated an attempt on Traoré’s life.
In a statement, Togo’s Ministry of Justice confirmed that Damiba was transferred to Burkinabè authorities on Saturday. As part of the agreement, Burkina Faso assured Togolese officials that Damiba’s physical safety, dignity, and right to a fair trial would be respected, and that he would not face the death penalty.
The Burkinabè junta has brought multiple charges against Damiba, including criminal misappropriation of public funds, illicit enrichment, corruption, aggravated handling of stolen property, and money laundering, according to the Togolese justice ministry.
Damiba has not publicly responded to the allegations, and attempts by the BBC to reach him have been unsuccessful.
The most serious accusation concerns an alleged assassination plot. Earlier this month, Burkina Faso’s Security Minister, Mahamadou Sana, announced on state television that security forces had disrupted a plan involving targeted killings intended to destabilise the state, including the planned “neutralisation” of President Traoré.
Authorities in Ouagadougou have repeatedly accused Damiba of directing destabilisation efforts from exile. In late 2024, officials again named him as the leader of what they described as the “military wing” of a wider conspiracy.
Damiba first came to power in January 2022 after overthrowing elected president Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, amid public anger over the government’s inability to contain Islamist violence. However, he was deposed just eight months later by Traoré, then a 34-year-old artillery officer who accused him of failing to improve national security.
Since taking control, the Traoré-led junta has consolidated power, expelled French troops, adopted a strong nationalist posture, and recently reinstated the death penalty, including for offences such as 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.
Damiba’s return to Burkina Faso under arrest, and the possibility of facing numerous criminal charges, is expected to heighten tensions within the military and political elite. Analysts warn that recurring accusations, foiled plots, and deepening divisions within the armed forces could raise further concerns about the stability of a government already grappling with insurgency and internal power struggles.
