By Grace Chigbu
A shocking revelation has emerged from Burkina Faso, where a personal guard of President Ibrahim Traoré claims he was offered $5 million to assassinate the leader while he was in prayer.
According to a statement circulated on the Telegram channel ‘wartimedia’, the unnamed guard said he was promised foreign citizenship and safety for his family if he icarried out the act — specifically while Traoré “bends to pray to Allah.”
“They called it ‘an offer I couldn’t refuse’… But I asked myself, is $5 million worth carrying a guilty conscience to my grave?” he reportedly said.
The would-be assassin turned down the offer, describing it as inhuman and dishonorable, adding that he would rather “live as a lion in the wild than as a dog in their city.”
This comes at a time of high political tension in Burkina Faso, where President Traoré, a military captain who took power in 2022, continues to rule under a transitional government.
No official statement has been made by Traoré’s office, but the news has sparked alarm and admiration on social media, with supporters hailing the guard’s loyalty and integrity.
The origins of the assassination plot remain unclear, though many suspect foreign interference or internal power struggles
