By Alpha Amadu Jalloh
Videos circulating on YouTube, particularly from a channel called Report Room, have been making serious allegations that Sierra Leone’s President, Julius Maada Bio, was connected to a coup plot in Burkina Faso. These claims have spread rapidly across social media and messaging platforms, causing confusion and unnecessary political tension.
However, a careful look at credible reports from recognised news organisations tells a very different story. The facts do not support these accusations.
When Burkina Faso’s authorities announced that they had foiled a plot against their military leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, the focus of the accusations was not Sierra Leone, nor President Julius Maada Bio. Instead, the claims were directed at former Burkinabè leader Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba and individuals believed to be part of internal or regional networks.
International news agencies have been consistent on this point.
Reuters reported that Burkina Faso’s government accused former president Damiba of orchestrating a plot to kill Traoré. The report explained that Damiba, who had been living in exile after being overthrown, was later arrested and expelled back to Burkina Faso following those allegations.
The Associated Press carried similar reporting, stating that the junta claimed to have foiled a coup allegedly organised by Damiba. The focus again remained on internal political struggles and the role of the former leader.
Africanews also reported on the foiled plot, noting that authorities spoke about assassination attempts and destabilisation plans linked to individuals connected to the former regime. There was no mention of Sierra Leone’s president.
Reports carried by Barron’s, based on international agency sources, likewise confirmed that Burkina Faso’s security minister accused Damiba and his associates of planning targeted assassinations against civilian and military leaders.
Across all these reports, one fact stands out clearly. President Julius Maada Bio was never named as a conspirator. Sierra Leone was not presented as a country involved in the alleged plot. ECOWAS as an organisation was not formally accused of orchestrating the plan.
Within Burkina Faso itself, media aligned with official narratives have also focused their reporting on domestic security threats, former military figures, and internal networks. There is no credible record from Burkinabè sources naming President Bio in the alleged plot.
This is where the difference between verified reporting and online speculation becomes important. Social media platforms, including YouTube, often amplify dramatic claims without evidence. Once such claims begin to circulate, they are repeated, reshared, and reshaped until they start to look like established facts, even when no credible source has confirmed them.
In this case, the record is straightforward.
Reuters did not name President Bio.
The Associated Press did not name President Bio.
Africanews did not name President Bio.
Barron’s did not name President Bio.
Burkinabè outlets did not name President Bio.
If such a serious accusation had truly been made, it would have appeared in multiple international reports, sparked diplomatic reactions, and triggered official responses. None of that has happened.
President Julius Maada Bio’s name simply does not appear in credible reporting on the alleged Burkina Faso coup plot.
In a region already dealing with political instability, coups, and diplomatic tensions, false accusations can easily damage relations between nations and mislead the public. Responsible discourse must be guided by facts, not by sensational online content.
The truth, as established by consistent reporting from major international outlets, is that the accusations were directed at former leader Damiba and certain internal or regional actors. They were not directed at Sierra Leone’s president.
Until credible evidence says otherwise, the facts remain clear and simple.
President Julius Maada Bio has no hands in the Burkina Faso coup allegations.
If public debate is to remain honest and constructive, it must begin from that truth.
