Security Minister Mahamadou Sana disclosed the development during a late-night broadcast on Tuesday, saying intelligence services intercepted the operation in its final stages
Burkina Faso’s military government says it has foiled an alleged plot to assassinate the country’s leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, accusing local and foreign actors of planning a coordinated attack on the night of January 3.
Security Minister Mahamadou Sana disclosed the development during a late-night broadcast on Tuesday, saying intelligence services intercepted the operation in its final stages.
Sana said the plot involved civil, military and foreign collaborators who planned to assassinate the head of state before launching further attacks on key institutions and prominent civilian figures.
“Our intelligence services intercepted this operation in the final hours. They had planned to assassinate the head of state and then strike other key institutions, including civilian personalities,” the minister said.
According to Sana, the attackers considered two methods of eliminating Traoré, either through a direct attack or by planting explosives at his residence.
He said several other senior civil and military officials were also listed as targets.
The minister added that the conspirators planned to destroy a drone base ahead of a possible ground military intervention.
Sana accused former military president Paul-Henri Damiba of being the main architect of the alleged plot.
Paul-Henri Damiba briefly ruled Burkina Faso in 2022 before he was ousted by Traoré’s coup.
The security minister also pointed to neighbouring Côte d’Ivoire as the source of funding for the operation, alleging that 70 million FCFA had been earmarked to finance it.
Sana said several suspects have been arrested, including businessman Madi Sakandé, who admitted to contacts with Damiba.
Investigations are ongoing to identify all members of the network behind the alleged assassination plot.
Neither Damiba nor Côte d’Ivoire has commented on the allegations.
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