Togo has arrested and extradited Burkina Faso’s former military leader, Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, to his home country following accusations that he plotted to assassinate his successor, Captain Ibrahim Traoré.
The Togolese Ministry of Justice confirmed that Damiba was handed over to Burkinabè authorities on Saturday. According to the ministry, the extradition was carried out under assurances from Burkina Faso that Damiba’s physical integrity, dignity and fair-trial rights would be respected, and that he would not face the death penalty.
Burkina Faso’s military government has accused the former leader of masterminding an attempted assassination of President Traoré. In addition to the alleged murder plot, Damiba faces multiple charges, including criminal embezzlement of public funds, illicit enrichment, corruption, aggravated receipt of stolen property and money laundering.
Damiba has not publicly commented on the allegations, and attempts by the BBC to reach him were unsuccessful.
Earlier this month, Burkina Faso’s Minister of Security, Mahamadou Sana, announced on state television that security forces had foiled a planned series of targeted assassinations aimed at destabilising the country, including an alleged plan to “neutralise” President Traoré. Authorities in Ouagadougou have repeatedly accused Damiba of orchestrating destabilisation efforts from exile, and in late 2024 publicly described him as the head of the “military wing” of a broader conspiracy.
Damiba first seized power in January 2022 after overthrowing the elected government of President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, citing the state’s failure to contain Islamist insurgency. However, he was removed just eight months later in a coup led by Traoré, then a 34-year-old artillery officer who accused Damiba of failing to improve security conditions.
Since taking power, the Traoré-led junta has adopted a more assertive nationalist posture, expelled French troops, 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.
Political analysts say Damiba’s return to Burkina Faso under arrest, coupled with the seriousness of the charges against him, could heighten tensions within the military and political establishment, raising further concerns about stability amid an ongoing insurgency and deepening internal divisions.
