Togo–Burkina Faso Extradition Confirmed
Togo confirmed on 20 January 2026 that it extradited to Burkina Faso the country’s former transition president, ex-lieutenant-colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, who was overthrown in 2022 and has since been accused of being behind several attempted coups. Officials said further details would follow.
Arrest in Lomé and Appeal Court Hearing
According to a statement from Togo’s justice minister read on state television, Damiba, who had been living in exile in Togo, was arrested on 16 January and “handed over to the authorities of Burkina Faso” the following day. The transfer occurred after a hearing at the Lomé Court of Appeal, the statement said.
Extradition Request and Legal Grounds
The same statement said Burkina Faso submitted an extradition request on 12 January, including on grounds of “incitement to the commission of offences and crimes.” Togo presented the procedure as being carried out within the framework of judicial cooperation between states and respect for the rule of law.
A Regional Security File Under Scrutiny
Damiba reportedly took refuge in Togo in October 2022 after being ousted by Captain Ibrahim Traoré. Since then, he has been regularly accused of seeking to destabilise the authorities who succeeded him in Ouagadougou, placing his status in exile at the intersection of political risk and cross-border security concerns.
