Burkina Faso’s military leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, has dismissed speculation of a power struggle within the country’s ruling junta, declaring that he intends to remain the country’s only leader.
Speaking during a meeting with community leaders in Ouahigouya last Thursday, Traoré warned that he would not hesitate to remove anyone he believes poses a threat to his leadership.
“There can’t be two captains on one ship,” Traoré said, adding, “If anyone screws up, I’ll take you down without a second thought. There are no strongmen around me.”
His remarks come amid growing rumours of divisions within the military government that seized power in a September 2022 coup.
The speculation centres on the prolonged absence of two senior junta figures — Oumarou Yabré, who heads Burkina Faso’s intelligence services and National Security Council, and Farouk Azaria Sorgho, the junta’s spokesperson and commander of the powerful Rapid Intervention Battalion No. 4.
Yabré has reportedly not been seen in public since late May, while security sources claimed he has stopped reporting to his office and that security around his residence has been significantly reduced.
He was also absent from recent official ceremonies he would normally attend, further fuelling speculation about internal tensions within the junta.
Meanwhile, Sorgho has also been absent from public view since mid-May.
According to security sources quoted in the report, his battalion is now being led by his deputy, while there are allegations that Sorgho was “abducted” by associates of Traoré. These claims have not been officially confirmed.
The report also stated that several individuals linked to Yabré, including Islamic preacher Ishaq Kindo, have been arrested or abducted in recent weeks.
Traoré accused Kindo of attempting to build influence through an Islamic police force, describing him as “fundamentally bad.”
In recent weeks, security measures have also been tightened in the capital, Ouagadougou, with additional checkpoints established around the presidential palace and changes made to traffic routes.
The developments have intensified speculation about possible internal disagreements within Burkina Faso’s military leadership, although the junta has not officially confirmed any rift.
Source: AFP.
