Togolese officials have confirmed the handover of Burkina Faso’s former military ruler, Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba.
Authorities in Togo said the extradition was carried out on Tuesday after a formal request from Burkina Faso’s military government. Damiba, who has been living in Togo since he was forced from power in 2022, is accused of several offences, including the alleged embezzlement of public funds and incitement to commit crimes.
According to the Togo Ministry of Justice, the decision followed a ruling by the Lomé Court of Appeal, which approved the transfer “based on the offer of reciprocity from the Burkinabè authorities” and assurances that Damiba would not be subjected to the death penalty.
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Damiba was taken into custody on January 16, AP’s reported. His arrest came amid heightened tensions in Burkina Faso, where the ruling junta earlier this month announced it had thwarted an attempted coup and claimed the former leader was linked to the alleged plot.
He briefly governed Burkina Faso from January to September 2022 before being overthrown by Captain Ibrahim Traore, the current head of the military government. His removal was the second coup in the country that year, emphasizing a period of deep political instability.
Burkina Faso is part of a broader pattern across West Africa, where a series of military takeovers has unfolded since 2020. Soldiers have repeatedly justified their seizures of power by pointing to worsening insecurity, as armed group attacks expanded across the Sahel and began reaching coastal states.
Alongside Mali and Niger, Burkina Faso remains under junta rule and has withdrawn from the Economic Community of West African States, further straining relations within the region and reshaping West Africa’s political landscape.
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