The army’s seizure of power in Burkina Faso on Thursday amounted to a “coup”, an opposition leader told AFP, adding that they consider the president’s departure “non-negotiable”.
President Blaise Compaore, who has ruled the country for 27 years, “is again in the process of duping the people,” said opposition leader Benewende Sankara. “We have been saying for a long time that he must hand in his resignation. His departure is non-negotiable.”
Burkina army seizes power after uprising against veteran ruler
Burkina Faso’s President Blaise Compaore was toppled on Thursday as the army took power after protesters set parliament ablaze in a popular uprising against the veteran leader’s 27-year-rule.
The demonstrators earlier forced the government to scrap a vote on controversial plans to allow Compaore to extend his reign, with tens of thousands of people joining a mass rally in the capital Ouagadougou calling for the strongman to go.
Hundreds of people stormed parliament and other public buildings including the national television headquarters, ransacking offices and setting fire to cars, despite a heavy police and army presence across the capital.
The army, in a hastily arranged press conference, announced it was seizing power and pledged to restore constitutional order within 12 months. It imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew and announced the dissolution of Compaore’s government and the national assembly, and the creation of a transitional body to run the country.
The communique, read out by an officer, was signed by the army chief of staff Nabere Honore Traore.
There was no mention of Compaore’s whereabouts.
Earlier a statement purportedly from the presidency said a state of emergency had been declared.
“The army chief of staff is charged with carrying out this decree, which enters into force from this day,” it said.
The document was not dated and carried a signature that did not resemble the president’s usual one.
The United States, Burkina Faso’s former colonial ruler France and the African Union all voiced alarm over the unrest gripping the poor west African nation.
UN chief Ban Ki-moon dispatched a special envoy to help restore calm and the European Union called for an end to the violence.
“The army is united with the people,” said Benewende Sankara, a leading light in the opposition.
Army chief Traore had earlier met with retired general Kouame Lougue, a former defence minister being touted by the opposition as a replacement for Compaore, to discuss the crisis.
Tens of thousands of protesters massed on the streets of the capital shouting “Lougue in power!”
– Worst crisis since 2011 –
At least one man was killed in the chaos that erupted just before lawmakers were due to vote on legislation that would allow 63-year-old Compaore — who took power in a 1987 coup — to contest next year’s election, AFP correspondents said.
The government, in the country’s worst crisis since a wave of mutinies shook the country in 2011, later announced it was calling off the vote.
Police and soldiers, out in force after mass rallies earlier this week, failed to stop the onslaught despite using tear gas against the protesters.
Black smoke billowed out of smashed windows at the parliament building, where several offices were ravaged by flames, although the main chamber so far appeared to be unscathed.
Several hundred protesters also broke into the headquarters of the national television station RTB, pillaging equipment and smashing cars, correspondents said.
Crowds of people later massed near the presidential palace but were being held back by troops from the presidential guard who fired warning shots into the air.
Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/10/burkina-army-seizes-power-uprising/

When government turns political office into birthright...and the poverty level of the majority they govern becomes unbearable, revolution takes place. Nigerian government should take note

greed can sink u to untimely grave.

Buhari vs Johnathan take note.

We should not forget 2011 election crisis

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RDsHsuV7ek

[size=15pt]Burkina Faso protests: 'Black smoke is all around me'[/size]

That serves the president right being disgracefully and summarily ousted!

You assume office @ the age of 36 (somewhat a youth) and stayed in office for 27 years and now wants some more yrs @ the age of 63.

Born to rule mentality!

Greed is the worst side of man's life. Manck aka musiwa 95

I wonder the kind of stuff our African leaders are made of. This is the same Man that seized power close to three decades ago,yet he still wants to cling onto it to his grave. Chai! Africa must have a fundamental issue

This is good news the president thinks that he can deceive the people's again to extend his stay at office

flamingtiger:
I wonder the kind of stuff our African leaders are made of. This is the same Man that seized power close to three decades ago,yet he still wants to cling onto it to his grave. Chai! Africa must have a fundamental issue

Beats me real bad. I don't just understand why. Whats so hard in wanting progress for one's country, what's so hard in ushering in a democratically elected government long ago.....setting the pace just hard them, Africa ehn, i tire. These leaders are just not passionate enough for change.

The president should have taken the path of honour and resigned,instead of rubbishing himself.

adioolayi:
When government turns political office into birthright...and the poverty level of the majority they govern becomes unbearable, revolution takes place. Nigerian government should take note

yea right.however,the only revolution needed in naija is foundamentally da balkanisation revolution.

I doubt if the coup was successful cos he's still claiming power. However, he should thank his stars that he's still alive. The coupist should ve killed him and dismember his body like he did to Thomas Sankara in 1987.

All this african leaders have this mentality of ruling their country for years without resigning and some even turn it to family business,the nigga got served though.

I hope Jonathan's butt-lickers are telling him about the development in Burkina Suffer, sorry Burkina Faso. Jonathan and the puppet acting I.G. have withdrawn the security details of one of the heads of the legislative arm of government of the country. If the Army withdraws Jonathan's security details and locked him up in his house the way Shehu Sagari was locked up, or push him aside the way Ernest Shonekan was pushed away make nobody cry blood ooo. The first lady already called herself a widow some years back, I hope the power in her tongue is not about to manifest.

You're obsessed with jonathan

adioolayi:
When government turns political office into birthright...and the poverty level of the majority they govern becomes unbearable, revolution takes place. Nigerian government should take note

I hope you are not thinking towards Gej, because that will be f'ed up, Gej would only be coming out for a 2nd tenure come 2015, he only helped yaradua finish his tenure as a running mate, it is the northern born-to-rule school of thought you should be talking about, if you aren't already.

WE RE WAITING FOR OUR TURN

The UN sent special envoy to calm the situation which only translates to The UN sent his Vultures to rollback the progress gotten by the people's revolution, they are just going in to assess this Lounge guy and know his plans if he were to be made president, if he will keep on selling off the nation while disregarding the people as Compaore did or take Sankara's route of building a strong united nation that centers on Human resources development and socialist welfare strategies.
whatever path the man chooses he will be faced with threats from multinationals and their respective governments whom has been sucking Burkina Faso Dry since they murdered Sankara.

Military rule begins...

fr3do:




I hope you are not thinking towards Gej, because that will be f'ed up, Gej would only be coming out for a 2nd tenure come 2015, he only helped yaradua finish his tenure as a running mate, it is the northern born-to-rule school of thought you should be talking about, if you aren't already.

My friend..not at all....Just generally condemning this act....father..to..son...to in-laws and so on. As if polical office is a lineage traditional power

ntyce:
I doubt if the coup was successful cos he's still claiming power. However, he should thank his stars that he's still alive. The coupist should ve killed him and dismember his body like he did to Thomas Sankara in 1987.

chei, na de tin wey de man do? he shd really be grateful he wasnt killed.

Blacks smh

This is a sweet song to my ears. Nemesis has waited for 27 years to catch up with Blaise Compaore. The great Thomas Sankara will be laughing him to scorn now where ever he is.

This really, really serves him right!

when u ve pursued a goat to the wall, what do u expect.

I don't like the idea of the army taking over and relinquishing power in 12 months. African military cannot be trusted.

OMG this is getting serious.. These people would only take themselves backward

These foolish man should b killed,and is body cut to pieces.that was the way d idiot betrayed d pple of burkina faso wen he killed captain thomas sankara d great

Blaise Compraore seized power on October 19, 1987 and had Thomas Sankara his childhood friend with whom he grew up on the same street, ate the same food and spent holidays together, killed and dumped in a shallow grave.

His judgement has been in waiting for 27 years. He that sows the wind must surely reap the whirlwind. I hope he is sent to the firing squad. He should be shown the same mercy he showed his childhood friend Thomas Sankara.

simpleseyi:
I hope Jonathan's butt-lickers are telling him about the development in Burkina Suffer, sorry Burkina Faso. Jonathan and the puppet acting I.G. have withdrawn the security details of one of the heads of the legislative arm of government of the country. If the Army withdraws Jonathan's security details and locked him up in his house the way Shehu Sagari was locked up, or push him aside the way Ernest Shonekan was pushed away make nobody cry blood ooo. The first lady already called herself a widow some years back, I hope the power in her tongue is not about to manifest.

Military rule is over in Nigeria. Except you meant 'brother take-over' in which case its only the president's ethnic and religious group that can overthrow him and still have Nigeria intact. Any other ethnic group that engages in a coup that topples a sitting president belonging to another ethnic group is in for an explosion. Better believe that's the current reality of Nigeria. Even removing him through the ballot is not guaranteed to be peaceful, so wake up from that dream.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13CozZONfgk

[size=15pt]Burkina Faso declares state of emergency[/size]

Burkina Faso's president has reportedly declared a state of emergency, after anti-government protests. An Overnight curfew has been imposed across the country after demonstrators stormed the parliament building and other public offices in the capital.

President Blaise Campaore has stepped down