Army Captain Lt. Col. Ibrahim Traore who ousted military leader, Lt. Col. Paul-Henri Damiba has emerged with reasons for his actions.
Col. Traore noted that Col. Damiba failed to honor his pledge to halt Islamist attacks, for which reason he overthrew the elected government in January.
Col. Damiba’s administration has failed to deal with jihadist violence with recent attacks on some 11 soldiers escorting a convoy of civilian vehicles in the north of the country.
In a speech after his overthrow of Damiba, Col. Traore said the cause which motivated them to encourage the coup on January 24, 2022, was still burning in them.
He indicated that Col. Damiba whom they trusted has betrayed their initial ideal and worsened the security situation which justified their actions, only to focus on political adventures.
According to him, the onus fell on him to free terrorist-occupied areas but he has rather allowed them to occupy new areas.
“We observe a restoration by force of old order by acts which jeopardize the independence of the justice system and create serious precedents. The dangerous choices of Lt. Col. Damiba have progressively weakened our security system.
Heavy administrative processes in the previous regime have become more serious during the transition and have affected strategic operations,” parts of his speech after the coup as quoted by BBC said.
Col. Traore further noted that his junta will pursue their common ideals with the people of Burkina Faso to restore the security and integrity of their territory.
How the coup happened:
Reports of heavy artillery gunfire in the wee hours of Friday morning and heavy military presence in parts of the capital Ouagadougou raised fears of a takeover.
But the Presidency in a statement on Facebook said negotiations were ongoing and that an enemy was seeking to sow division between the people.
The state broadcaster went off for hours and returned to normal programming. But this evening, a group of armed soldiers appeared on the state TV to announce a takeover according to multiple reports.
They have announced the overthrow of the Lt. Col. Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba-led junta with the new leader being in the person of Captain Ibrahim Traore.
The new junta announced that they have deposed Damiba as leader of the same coup vehicle that came into power in January, hence they are only taking over the leadership of the MPSR.
January Coup by Lt. Col Damiba:
In January, Lt Col Damiba overthrew President Roch Kaboré over failure to curb growing militant Islamist violence.
“We have more than what it takes to win this war,” the junta chief said when he was sworn in as president in February.
But many citizens do not feel any safer and there have been protests in different parts of the country this week.
On Friday afternoon, some protesters took to the capital’s streets calling for the removal of Lt Col Damiba.
The Islamist insurgency broke out in Burkina Faso in 2015, leaving thousands dead and forcing an estimated two million people from their homes.
The country has experienced eight successful coups since independence in 1960.
