Burkina Faso's former president, Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, has been expelled from Togo and extradited to his home country after being accused of plotting to kill his successor. The move comes as part of a larger effort by the current regime in Ouagadougou to crack down on alleged plotters against President Ibrahim Traoré.
Damiba, who seized power in a coup just eight months ago, was arrested and charged with multiple crimes including murder, corruption, and money laundering. The charges were announced by Togo's justice ministry after Damiba was handed over to Burkinabè authorities.
The plot to kill Traoré is seen as one of the most serious allegations against Damiba, and it has raised concerns about the stability of the Burkinabè government. Officials in Ouagadougou have accused Damiba of orchestrating plots from exile, including a previous attempt to destabilise the state.
Damiba's expulsion from Togo comes at a time when tensions within the military and political establishment are running high. The Traoré-led junta has tightened its grip on the country, expelling French forces and reinstating the death penalty for crimes of high treason.
The situation in Burkina Faso remains dire, with militant jihadist attacks continuing across large parts of the country. The return of Damiba to Burkina Faso, under arrest and facing a long list of criminal charges, is likely to escalate tensions within the military and political establishment.
Damiba's case has also sparked questions about the stability of the government still confronting both a brutal insurgency and internal rivalries. Political observers suggest that repeated accusations, foiled plots, and widening divisions within the armed forces will likely lead to further instability in the country.
In an effort to address these concerns, Burkina Faso has promised to ensure "physical integrity, dignity and fair-trial rights of Mr Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, and the absence of the death penalty". However, it remains to be seen how this promise will impact the stability of the government in Ouagadougou.
Damiba, who seized power in a coup just eight months ago, was arrested and charged with multiple crimes including murder, corruption, and money laundering. The charges were announced by Togo's justice ministry after Damiba was handed over to Burkinabè authorities.
The plot to kill Traoré is seen as one of the most serious allegations against Damiba, and it has raised concerns about the stability of the Burkinabè government. Officials in Ouagadougou have accused Damiba of orchestrating plots from exile, including a previous attempt to destabilise the state.
Damiba's expulsion from Togo comes at a time when tensions within the military and political establishment are running high. The Traoré-led junta has tightened its grip on the country, expelling French forces and reinstating the death penalty for crimes of high treason.
The situation in Burkina Faso remains dire, with militant jihadist attacks continuing across large parts of the country. The return of Damiba to Burkina Faso, under arrest and facing a long list of criminal charges, is likely to escalate tensions within the military and political establishment.
Damiba's case has also sparked questions about the stability of the government still confronting both a brutal insurgency and internal rivalries. Political observers suggest that repeated accusations, foiled plots, and widening divisions within the armed forces will likely lead to further instability in the country.
In an effort to address these concerns, Burkina Faso has promised to ensure "physical integrity, dignity and fair-trial rights of Mr Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, and the absence of the death penalty". However, it remains to be seen how this promise will impact the stability of the government in Ouagadougou.
so its crazy how quickly things can spiral outta control in a country like burkina faso... been reading about damiba's situation and it just seems like more fuel for the fire - doesnt seem like anyone really knows what's going on anymore 
and with the militant attacks still happening, its hard to see how they're gonna stabilize the government without some big changes. 
maybe they need a fresh perspective or something... anyway, its definitely not looking good for burkina faso right now 
. One minute you got a coup leader and next thing you know he's being extradited back home for allegedly plotting against his own successor 
. It's like, what even is going on here? The fact that they're accusing him of murder, corruption, and money laundering is pretty serious, but at the same time, I'm wondering if it's all just a setup to maintain control 
.
. It's like, what happens when you have multiple factions vying for power and nobody knows who to trust? It's gonna lead to more instability and potentially even more violence 
. That shows some level of accountability and commitment to due process. Maybe this is a step towards true democracy and reform? We'll just have to wait and see if it all works out 
.
. I mean, what's to stop him from ordering a hit on Traoré now that he's back? And with the military all divided and stuff, it's like a recipe for disaster. They're just going to keep piling up more charges against him and then try to execute him or something... totally unprofessional. I'm not buying the promise about fair trial rights at all... Burkina Faso is just setting itself up for another mess 
Guess we'll just have to wait and see how this all plays out 
. But seriously, has anyone considered what this means for French involvement in the country? They just expelled their forces, but will they be back in if things get out of hand? 
It's a delicate situation, for sure...
It's all just so... messy. 
i mean, the military is already tense and then you add in these new accusations and it's like, who knows what's gonna happen? 
. The situation is just so precarious at this point...
. With all these allegations and plots, it's hard to know who to trust or believe. The Burkinabè government needs to find a way to address these concerns without making things worse