Keypoints:
- Togo expelled former Burkina Faso leader Paul-Henri Damiba
- Junta alleges links to foiled coup plot
- Case highlights rising regional political tensions
TOGO has expelled former Burkina Faso interim president Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba following allegations that he was linked to a failed coup plot against the country’s ruling military junta.
Damiba, who had been living in exile in the Togolese capital Lomé since his removal from power in 2022, was detained by Togolese authorities over the weekend before being flown back to Ouagadougou, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
Neither the Togolese government nor Burkina Faso’s ruling authorities have issued official statements confirming the expulsion.
The move underscores mounting political tensions across West Africa, where military governments have increasingly targeted exiled former leaders amid fears of counter-coups, as juntas consolidate power following a wave of takeovers since 2020.
Arrest followed earlier warnings
A source close to Togo’s presidency said Damiba had previously been warned over alleged contacts deemed threatening to Burkina Faso’s current leadership.
Details of the accusations remain unclear, and Reuters, which first reported the expulsion, could not independently verify the extent of Damiba’s alleged involvement in the plot. He was not immediately reachable for comment, and it was unknown whether he had legal representation at the time of his arrest.
Officials in Ouagadougou also declined to comment on whether Damiba now faces formal charges.
Junta claims foiled destabilisation attempt
Earlier this month, Burkina Faso’s military rulers announced they had disrupted what they described as a plan to destabilise the government and potentially assassinate junta leader Captain Ibrahim Traoré.
While the authorities did not publicly name suspects, several security sources said the investigation focused on figures outside the country, including former officers and political actors believed to retain influence within the armed forces.
Damiba’s forced return follows those announcements.
From coup leader to exile
Damiba first came to power in January 2022, when he led a military coup that ousted elected president Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, citing the government’s failure to contain Islamist militant violence.
However, his tenure lasted less than nine months.
In September 2022, he was himself overthrown by junior officers led by Captain Traoré, who accused him of poor leadership and inadequate battlefield strategy against insurgent groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State.
Following negotiations mediated by religious and traditional leaders, Damiba agreed to resign and was granted exile in Togo under assurances of personal safety.
Growing pressure on exiled leaders
His expulsion signals a tightening regional stance toward former coup leaders living abroad.
Military governments in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger — all now governed by juntas — have increasingly framed exiled political figures as security risks, accusing them of coordinating foreign-backed plots or internal mutinies.
Since 2020, West Africa has experienced more than half a dozen successful coups, with attempted uprisings reported in several other states.
Analysts say the trend has heightened paranoia within ruling juntas, leading to intensified surveillance, arrests and cross-border cooperation among allied military governments.
Regional implications
Togo has traditionally positioned itself as a neutral mediator in regional crises, including negotiations during Burkina Faso’s 2022 transition.
Damiba’s expulsion, however, suggests Lomé is under growing pressure to align with neighbouring military authorities seeking to prevent their territory from being used as a base for political opposition.
Security analysts warn that such actions may deepen regional instability, particularly as armed insurgencies continue to expand across the Sahel while political space contracts.
Uncertain path ahead
It remains unclear what awaits Damiba in Ouagadougou or whether his return will lead to prosecution, detention, or further negotiations behind closed doors.
For Burkina Faso’s ruling junta, the episode reinforces its message that dissent — whether domestic or abroad — will be treated as a national security threat.
For the wider region, the expulsion highlights how fragile political transitions remain in West Africa, where power struggles increasingly play out beyond national borders.
