Burkina Faso junta claims foiled assassination plot against eader, Accuses Rival and Neighboring State
Burkina Faso’s military government has announced it prevented another alleged attempt to overthrow Captain Ibrahim Traoré, the country’s leader. Security Minister Mahamadou Sana stated on Tuesday that intelligence services disrupted the plot, which was reportedly scheduled for late Saturday.
Authorities have named former transitional president Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba—who was ousted by Traoré in September 2022—as the alleged mastermind.
According to defense officials, the plan involved coordinated assassinations of military officers and civilian figures, with a primary goal of killing Captain Traoré at his private residence, either by gunfire or explosives.
Minister Sana claimed the operation was financed from neighboring Côte d’Ivoire and that a leaked video, showing plotters discussing their intentions, helped uncover the scheme.
He further alleged that Damiba aimed to disable Burkina Faso’s drone launch base to block potential military intervention.
“Several arrests have been made, and investigations are ongoing,” Sana added, noting those detained would face trial.
This marks the latest in a series of reported coup attempts against Traoré since he took power. Previous alleged plots in April and September 2024 similarly targeted the junta leader and key state institutions.
Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.
Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.
He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.
Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).
He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.
He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.
Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled: Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.
