Burkina Faso Military Leader Stirs Controversy With Display Of Pistol At Mahama’s Inauguration

Burkina Faso military leader, Captain Ibrahim Traore, stirred controversy when he attended President John Mahama’s inauguration on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, wearing a sidearm.

Many Ghanaians raised concerns about why Traore went to greet President Mahama with the weapon tucked on his waist.

Traore, the junta leader who seized power in a coup in September 2022 coup, arrived at the Black Star Square accompanied by a number of armed soldiers, as attention shifted on him.

The 34-year-old leader, whose country has been battling jihadists linked to both al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (IS) group also wore a sidearm, as he made his way to the presidential arena where over 20 African Heads of State that attended the ceremony were seated.

After the swearing in, he walked to the presidential dais to congratulate President Mahama, with his side weapon openly displayed.

Condemnation
The development has received wide international condemnation on social media as it was seen a security breach.

Some of the comments on X read:
“With rifle before a President”
“Carrying a gun here was unnecessary”
“How is it possible to have a gun meeting another president”
“Some Ghanaians are asking why you carry gun go meet our president but you no carry am go meet Putin. I am still in shock as to how Ghana as a host, our national security could allow a group of heavily armed military junta very close to not only to the top most official of Ghana but Africa in general. Remember, Nigeria’s president is the chairman of ECOWAS”.

World leaders
At the ceremony, Presidents, regional leaders, representatives of the international community and thousands of Ghanaians watched as Mahama took the oath of office as Ghana’s new president.
The President delivered his inaugural address, saying: “As elected President, today we are also making a different kind of history, one that speaks to our maturity as a democracy. A nation of citizens with the authority to determine their political future. Today’s exercise between the outgoing President, Nana Addo, and I feel a bit like déjà vu, as it’s similar to the transitional exercise we performed eight years ago on January 7, 2017.”