Burkina Faso’s transitional government says it has thwarted a planned coup attempt against President Captain Ibrahim Traoré, accusing a former leader of orchestrating the plot and announcing that arrests are underway to hold those responsible to account.

In a televised address on 7 January 2026, Burkina Faso’s Security Minister Mahamadou Sana told the nation that intelligence and security services had uncovered and prevented a coordinated effort to destabilise the country before it could be carried out. Africanews reported that the alleged plot was discovered late on Saturday night, 3 January, and intelligence units acted before the plan could begin.

Minister Sana said the plot had been scheduled to start at about 11 p.m. and involved a series of targeted assassinations against both military and civilian leaders, including a plan to kill President Traoré or incapacitate him by planting explosives at his residence, according to Anadolu Agency’s reporting. He described the attempt as a direct threat to national security that was intercepted “thanks to the professionalism of the intelligence services.” 

Burkina Faso’s government has named Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, the military officer whom Traoré ousted in a 2022 takeover, as the principal suspect in the alleged coup plot. Anadolu Agency reported that authorities accuse Damiba of coordinating funding, recruitment and the tactical planning of the operation from his exile. Damiba, who once served as the country’s transitional president, has not publicly responded to the allegations.

Officials said the plan reportedly included a sequence of actions beyond the assassination attempt, including sabotage of key military infrastructure such as the nation’s drone base to hinder defensive responses, Anadolu Agency noted. Sana also said that both military personnel and civilian supporters were involved in the alleged scheme, and that multiple arrests have already been made as part of ongoing investigations.

Security forces have stated that those detained will be handed over to prosecutors and will face legal action under Burkina Faso’s laws. The minister pledged that those implicated would be brought before the courts and held to account for their actions, Africanews reported.

The foiled plot highlights ongoing political tensions within Burkina Faso, a country that has grappled with repeated coups and attempts to unseat governments over the past several years. President Traoré came to power after toppling Damiba in September 2022, and his administration has faced ongoing challenges, including jihadist insurgency and internal dissent within military ranks, regional analysts say. 

Government officials have reassured the public that the situation is under control and urged citizens to remain calm while security operations continue to identify and arrest other suspected conspirators.