Togo Expels Ex-Burkina Faso Leader Over Coup Claim
Last update: January 20, 2026
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Paul-Henri Damiba arrested in Lome and returned to Burkina Faso following claims of plotting against the military government.
Togo has arrested and expelled Burkina Faso's former president, Paul-Henri Damiba, sending him back to his home country after officials there accused him of attempting a coup.
CBI News reports that Damiba rose to power in 2022 after overthrowing Burkina Faso's civilian government, which had lost support due to rising attacks by Islamist militants.
His inability to curb the militant groups sparked anger within the armed forces, leading to his ousting later that year by Ibrahim Traore, who remains the head of the military-led government.
Earlier this month, Burkina Faso announced it had disrupted a plot to assassinate Traore, allegedly orchestrated by Damiba, who had been taking refuge in Togo's capital, Lome.
A security source and a source close to Togo's presidency told Reuters on Tuesday that Damiba was arrested on Saturday and flown to Ouagadougou.
Neither the Togolese nor the Burkina Faso governments responded to requests for comment.
The source close to Togo's presidency did not directly link Damiba to any specific coup plot but said he had previously been warned about involvement in destabilization efforts in his home country.
