Kehinde Sanni, a Lagos autobody worker who has never left Nigeria, admires Ibrahim Traore, the military leader of Burkina Faso, influenced by misleading social media content portraying Traore as a heroic reformer.
Traore, who seized power in a 2022 coup amidst anti-French sentiment, enjoys support from Mali and Niger, both of which have aligned with Russia.
While Traore’s critics cite suppression of free expression, others on social media, including Nigerian actress Hilda Dokubo, praise him. This reflects a coordinated propaganda campaign that presents Traore as a messianic figure.
Malik Samuel of Good Governance Africa warns that this admiration for Traore in Nigeria poses risks to national security and democratic stability, normalizing military intervention and opening the door to foreign ideological interference.
Ikemesit Effiong of SBM Intelligence suggests that Traore’s appeal is amplified by Russia, which uses Wagner-linked groups to bolster his image and influence public opinion.
AFP has debunked false claims on social media that glorify Traore, such as fabricated videos of infrastructure projects attributed to his leadership.
Similar disinformation campaigns are active across Francophone Africa, with evidence suggesting Russian involvement.
Philip Obaji, a Nigerian journalist, notes that Russian propaganda units supply content to local influencers for dissemination.
Effiong describes this as part of a broader Russian strategy to promote military regimes and portray Russia as a preferable alternative to Western powers.
Since a 2023 coup in Niger, Russian flags have become common at pro-junta rallies, and individuals flying these flags have been arrested in Nigeria during protests.
Contrary to his online portrayal, Burkina Faso faces escalating violence from jihadist groups, ranking as the country most impacted by terrorism, according to the 2025 Global Terrorism Index.
Critics of Traore, including journalists and analysts like Maixent Some, who tracks disinformation, have been silenced or declared wanted by the junta.
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