Togo has arrested and extradited Burkina Faso’s former president, Paul-Henri Damiba, back to his home country following accusations that he attempted to orchestrate a coup, two sources told Reuters on Tuesday.
Damiba, who came to power in 2022 after leading a coup against Burkina Faso’s civilian government, was ousted later that year by Ibrahim Traore after failing to curb rising attacks by Islamist militant groups. Traore continues to head the military-led government.
Earlier this month, Burkina Faso announced that it had disrupted a plot to assassinate Traore, allegedly orchestrated by Damiba, who had taken refuge in the Togolese capital, Lomé.
A security source and a source close to Togo’s presidency confirmed that Damiba was arrested on Saturday and subsequently flown to Ouagadougou. Togo officially confirmed his extradition in a statement, noting that it responded to a formal request from Burkina Faso submitted on January 12.
The Togolese statement said Damiba faces charges in Burkina Faso including embezzlement of public funds, illicit enrichment, corruption and money laundering. The statement did not explicitly mention any coup plot.
The source close to Togo’s presidency added that Damiba had been previously warned about any involvement in efforts to destabilize Burkina Faso, but no direct link to a specific plot was confirmed.
West and Central Africa have experienced nine military coups since 2020, and Traore has reported multiple foiled coup attempts since assuming power.
It remains unclear whether Damiba has legal representation in Togo, and Reuters was unable to reach him for comment. Burkina Faso’s government also did not respond to requests for comment.
