LOME: Former Burkina Faso transitional president Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba has been arrested in Togo and subsequently expelled over allegations linking him to multiple coup and assassination plots against the current Burkinabe government.
Local sources say Damiba was arrested in Lomé last week and questioned over alleged attempts to destabilise Burkina Faso. He was later escorted to the airport and expelled from the country, although his destination has not been officially disclosed.
Damiba first came to power in January 2022 after leading a military coup that removed then-president Roch Marc Christian Kaboré. However, his rule lasted only eight months before he was himself overthrown by Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who remains Burkina Faso’s leader.
Since fleeing into exile in Togo, Damiba has repeatedly been accused by authorities in Ouagadougou of plotting coups and targeted assassinations.
Earlier this month, the Burkinabe government announced that it had foiled an alleged assassination attempt against President Traoré, which was reportedly planned for January 3.
Several suspects arrested in connection with the plot have appeared on state television, claiming they acted on instructions from Damiba.
Security officials allege that the former leader planned a series of targeted killings of both civilian and military figures, beginning with President Traoré himself.
The development comes amid heightened political tension and repeated claims by Burkina Faso’s authorities that foreign-based actors are working to undermine the country’s military-led government.
