On January 7, 2025, Burkina Faso’s transitional leader, Capt. Ibrahim Traoré attended the inauguration of President John Mahama at the Independence Square in Accra.
Clad in brown camouflage and a red beret, the military officer-turned-head-of-state caught widespread attention for his presence and his visible sidearm tucked in a holster. He had the side arm throughout the event, and even when he mounted the stage to exchange pleasantries with President Mahama and Vice President Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang.
Traoré, carrying the side arm as a visiting official while standing near Ghana’s newly sworn-in president, has sparked debate across social media within and outside Ghana.
Some Ghanaians here, here, here and here described the move as inappropriate and a breach of the new president’s security. They argue that foreign leaders usually rely on their host countries for security during official visits and that Traoré maintaining a sidearm and using his private security during the event was abnormal within diplomatic circles.
Traoré’s supporters have challenged this position with the suggestion that his outfit and holstered firearm only reflect his military background and indicate a precautionary step against any potential attack, given that he came to power through a military coup.
Additionally, arguments have been made that he likely got clearance from Ghana’s security before his action.
However, on both sides of the argument, one major question lingers in supporters’ minds: Does Ibrahim Traoré carry a sidearm to every public event outside his country?
DUBAWA has been digging.
Traoré’s international travels
It is worth highlighting that since Ibrahim Troare seized power in 2022, he has had limited travel outside his country. His travels within Africa were only to Niger and Mali–two countries Burkina Faso has joined to form the Alliance of Sahel States and indicated their decision to exit the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
His attendance at Mahama’s inauguration makes it his first official trip to a country in Africa outside Mali and Niger.
His only travel outside Africa has been to Russia to attend the Russia-Africa Summit.
Did he carry a sidearm during these visits? Video and photo materials DUBAWA has assessed suggest so.
On his first foreign trip to Mali in November 2022, Ibrahim Traore did not carry a visible sidearm like in Ghana. This video of his arrival and interaction with Malian leader Assimi Goïta in Bamako did not show him with a side arm. Another angle of the video confirms the same.
Screenshot of Capt. Traoré’s meeting with Mali’s Assimi Goïta in Bamako without a sidearm.
There was no evidence of him carrying a sidearm at the Russia-Africa summit in July 2023. Media evidence such as this and this confirms that he was without a visible sidearm during this meeting.
Screenshots from Capt. Traoré’s meeting with Russia’s Putin in St. Petersburg without a sidearm. Credit: Alexander Ryumin/TASS Host Photo Agency via REUTERS.
In July 2024, Troare attended the inaugural summit of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in Niger’s capital Niamey. This was his last foreign trip before he attended John Mahama’s inauguration in Accra. A video from France24 showed that Troare had a sidearm on him on his arrival in the country.
Screenshot from AFP video showing Capt. Traoré armed while walking beside his host, General Abdourahamane Tchiani of Niger
There have been other instances such as this when Capt. Traoré received a delegation of Russian military chiefs in Burkina Faso’s capital, Ouagadougou. During the interactions, he had his sidearm strapped.
Based on the above, there is evidence that Capt. Ibrahim Traoré has worn his sidearm while near a foreign country’s leader; his action in Ghana with President John Mahama is not new.
There is also evidence that shows him without a sidearm in other high-level meetings, so the basis for carrying a sidearm or going without it when meeting foreign country leaders cannot be definitely confirmed.
Security implications of Traore’s sidearm at Mahama’s inauguration
Security analyst and International Relations expert Dr Vladimir Antwi-Danso emphasised that the security of visiting dignitaries is solely the host country’s responsibility under normal international protocol.
“So, protocol-wise, if you have invited a head of state into your country, your security should take care of the security of the guest in all dimensions. And because of that, preliminary meetings or preliminary notes are shared. For example, the security of Burkina Faso and the security of Ghana share notes on how the security will be provided. So, if he is coming with his own bodyguards and security and that sort of thing, we will negotiate as to how they should be handled,” he told DUBAWA.
He noted that preliminary security meetings are typically held between the two nations before such visits to agree on managing security. These arrangements often include negotiations on whether visiting officials or their security teams may carry arms.
He referenced the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s visit to Ghana, during which strict negotiations led to the surrender of his bodyguards’ weapons to Ghanaian security upon arrival.
“For example, Gaddafi normally goes around with 30 people, 30 bodyguards. Very well-armed. I remember this very well: when Gaddafi was coming here some time ago, Peter Nanfuri, who was the IGP, we negotiated with Libya to surrender all their arms to Ghanaian security. And when they were going, they would take their arms back. Gaddafi didn’t want it, but Nanfuri insisted. I knew this because I was somehow involved somehow in the conversation.
“In Captain Traoré’s case, the decision to allow him to carry a sidearm might reflect a variation from standard protocol or an oversight by Ghanaian authorities. I know that Russia is the only place he didn’t take his sidearm because the Russian security team won’t allow such negotiations.”
Antwi-Danso warned that deviations from established norms could expose the host nation to serious international ramifications if anything happened to the guests on their soil.
Is the sidearm a matter of distrust in Ghana’s ability to protect him?
Antwi-Danso stressed that Traoré’s decision to carry a weapon does not necessarily indicate a lack of trust in Ghana’s security arrangements. Instead, it reflects his standard accoutrement, especially given Burkina Faso’s ongoing insecurity challenges and the potential threats he faces as a transitional leader.
“Such an incident could be misconstrued as a lack of trust in the host nation’s ability to provide adequate security. This could set a precedent for future visiting leaders to insist on carrying arms, undermining Ghana’s sovereignty in managing security during state visits.”
To avoid similar breaches in future diplomatic events, Antwi-Danso recommended that Ghana’s security agencies adhere strictly to international diplomatic norms and ensure that all guests comply with local security arrangements.
“Effective communication and negotiations between the host country and the visiting dignitary’s security team must be prioritised to avoid ambiguities,” he added. “Security agencies should receive advanced training in international diplomacy and security management to navigate complex situations.”
Conclusion
President Mahama’s inauguration was incident-free. However, security experts have advised the country to ensure that no foreign leader carries arms to any official event.
