Former Burkina Faso Leader Arrested in Togo, Expelled Amid Junta Pressure

LOME, Togo — Former Burkina Faso transitional president Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba has been arrested in Togo and expelled from the country, according to regional security officials and multiple news reports. The move follows sustained pressure from Burkina Faso’s current military junta, which accuses Damiba of plotting to destabilize the country.

Damiba, who had been living in exile in the Togolese capital Lomé since his ouster in 2022, was detained last week by Togolese authorities. He was later taken to the airport and expelled from the country. His current destination has not been officially confirmed.

The former army officer first came to power in January 2022 after leading a coup that overthrew Burkina Faso’s democratically elected president, Roch Marc Christian Kabore. Damiba’s transitional government pledged to restore security amid a worsening jihadist insurgency, but his leadership lasted only eight months.

In September 2022, he was himself removed from power by Captain Ibrahim Traore, who now leads Burkina Faso’s military government. Since then, Traore’s junta has repeatedly accused Damiba of involvement in attempted coup plots and schemes to destabilize the Sahel nation.

Regional analysts suggest Togo’s decision to detain and expel Damiba likely stems from mounting diplomatic and security pressure from the Burkinabe junta. Under Traore, Burkina Faso has moved firmly into an alliance with other military-led states in the region, including Mali and Niger, and has taken a hardline stance against perceived internal threats.

The arrest highlights the ongoing instability and political turbulence in West Africa and the Sahel, where military takeovers have become more frequent and exiled former leaders often remain entangled in the political rivalries of their home countries.

There has been no formal statement from Togolese authorities regarding the legal basis for Damiba’s detention and expulsion. As of now, Damiba’s whereabouts remain unknown, and it is unclear whether any third country has agreed to receive him.