A PLOT to kill Burkina Faso’s revolutionary leader Captain Ibrahim Traore has been thwarted, according to the government of the west African country.

It was at least the second coup attempt since Capt Traore came to power through a military uprising in September 2022.

According to Security Minister Mahamadou Sana, the conspiracy was hatched by Capt Traore’s predecessor as interim president, Lieutenant Colonel Paul Henry Damiba, who was ousted in 2022.

In a late night broadcast, Mr Sana said: “Our intelligence services intercepted this operation in the final hours. They had planned to assassinate the head of state and then strike other key institutions, including civilian personalities.”

The minister also accused neighbouring Ivory Coast of funding the plot.

He said authorities had uncovered a leaked video of the plotters discussing their plans to kill Capt Traore and take over the country.

In the footage, the plotters allegedly planned to assassinate the interim president, either at close range or by planting explosives at his residence, late on January 3.

They also allegedly sought to murder of ther senior military and civilian targets.

Mr Sana said that the plotters had planned to knock out the country’s drone launch base before allies from the Alliance of Sahel States, Niger and Mali, could intervene.

The scheme had allegedly managed to mobilise soldiers and civilian supporters and secured at least 70 mllion CFA francs (around £92,000) through the Ivory Coast.

Mr Sana said: “We are carrying out ongoing investigations and have made several arrests. These individuals will be brought to justice soon.”

He insisted that the situation had been brought under control by the authorities and urged the population of Burkina Faso “not to be misled, out of naivety, into dangerous schemes.”

It is unclear how many arrests have been made.

Neither Col Damiba, who is in exile in Togo, or Ivory Coast had commented before the Morning Star went to press.