In a striking revelation broadcast on national television, Burkina Faso’s military-led government announced Monday that it had thwarted a sophisticated coup plot allegedly coordinated from neighboring Ivory Coast. The plan, described by officials as a bid to “sow total chaos,” was said to involve a direct assault on the presidential palace in Ouagadougou.
Security Minister Mahamadou Sana disclosed that the plot was uncovered through “meticulous” intelligence efforts, which revealed preparations for a military-led uprising scheduled for Wednesday, April 16, 2025. The minister accused a network of external actors — primarily based in Ivory Coast — of masterminding the operation, specifically naming former army officers Major Joanny Compaore and Lieutenant Abdramane Barry as ringleaders.
“A group of soldiers, recruited by the enemies of the nation, was to storm the presidency and destabilize our institutions,” said Sana. “The brains outside the country are all located in Ivory Coast.”
This development adds to already tense relations between the two West African neighbors. Since taking power in a September 2022 coup, Captain Ibrahim Traoré has repeatedly accused Ivorian authorities of sheltering dissidents and facilitating efforts to undermine his leadership. In 2023, Traoré claimed that Abidjan had become a “hub of destabilization” against Burkina Faso’s transition government.
In recent months, Traoré’s junta has faced mounting criticism for its increasingly authoritarian tactics, including widespread arrests, media suppression, and a spike in disappearances of civilians perceived to oppose the regime. The junta continues to grapple with a deadly insurgency that has ravaged the country since 2015, fueled by jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.
A dozen soldiers — including two officers — were reportedly detained last week on suspicion of plotting against the state, further fueling speculation of internal dissent within the armed forces.
The military regime has yet to provide evidence publicly to support its claims. Ivory Coast has not issued an official response.
As regional tensions deepen, the alleged coup attempt underscores the fragile state of governance and security in Burkina Faso, where the military remains both the arbiter of power and the primary institution battling extremism on the front lines.
