Before Anyone Can Eliminate Captain Traoré Let Them First Eliminate The People – Burkina Faso Demonstrator

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria

A Burkina Faso demonstrator, Haroun Sawadogo, has said that before anyone can ‘eliminate’ President Captain Ibrahim Traoré, they should first ‘eliminate’ Burkinabé citizens.

Sawadogo made the statement on Wednesday while joining thousands of Burkinabé who flooded the streets of Ougadougou to show solidarity with transitional President Traoré.

Recall that African Culture TV reported that the uprising is coming amidst rising tensions with the United States.

Chanting slogans, waving placards, and sounding whistles, the demonstrators condemned recent comments by General Michaël Langley, the head of the United States Africa Command. Earlier this month, Langley alleged that Captain Traoré was diverting the country’s mining wealth to benefit the ruling junta rather than the people.

The remarks sparked outrage in Burkina Faso, culminating in the massive rally where protesters fiercely defended their leader and rejected foreign interference.

“If they want to eliminate Captain Traoré, they should eliminate the people first,” Sawadogo, one of the demonstrators, told the media as monitored by African Culture TV.

“What we experienced in the 1987 [assassination] will not be repeated. What happened to Captain Sankara will not happen to Captain Traoré. We will go all the way to defend our President,” he added.

The legacy of Thomas Sankara, the iconic former Burkinabé leader assassinated in 1987, continues to loom large in the national psyche, with many viewing Traoré as a symbol of sovereignty and anti-imperialism in a volatile region.

Among the demonstrators was popular musician Ocibi Joan, who denounced General Langley’s accusations and defended the country’s autonomy over its resources.

“Burkina Faso is not against anyone, but we will no longer tolerate looting. The general is a liar. We own it, we use it whenever we want, and sell it to whomever we want,” Ocibi said, clearly addressing the perception of neocolonial control.

The massive turnout comes just days after military authorities revealed what they termed a “plot” to destabilize and overthrow the current government.

The details of the alleged plot remain unclear, but the announcement has further rallied public sentiment behind the junta.

The gathering drew high-profile figures, including Prime Minister Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo, who addressed the crowd with a fervent message of liberation.

“The time has come to never again kneel before the world,” Ouédraogo declared.

He added that “May the people of Burkina Faso free themselves once and for all, and may the people of the Sahel free themselves permanently.”

Since Traoré seized power in a coup in September 2022, his leadership has drawn both domestic praise and international scrutiny.

 

Wednesday’s rally marked the largest public show of support for

the transitional government to date.