Abidjan: Alain Christophe Traor©, widely known as Alino Faso, was a prominent Burkinabe influencer recognized for his philanthropic efforts, candid remarks, and engaging humor. His influence extended beyond Burkina Faso, making him a significant figure in the region. His arrest in C´te d’Ivoire in January 2025 and his subsequent death in detention on July 24, 2025, has sparked widespread public outcry and a diplomatic rift between Abidjan and Ouagadougou.
According to Burkina Information Agency, Alino Faso was arrested in Abidjan on January 10, 2025. Ivorian authorities accused him of several charges, including ‘intelligence with a foreign state,’ ‘conspiracy against state authority,’ ‘espionage,’ and ‘dissemination of false information.’ Despite being detained, Alino Faso did not stand trial during his incarceration. His death on July 24, 2025, was officially announced three days later by Oumar Kon© Braman, the public prosecutor at the Abidjan Court of First Instance, who cited suicide by hanging as the cause, following an attempt to lacerate his wrists.
The Burkinabe government swiftly rejected the suicide claim, labeling it a ‘vile assassination’ in a press release on July 28, 2025. This statement was followed by a massive march in Burkina Faso on July 30, 2025, where thousands of citizens in white attire marched from the Thomas Sankara Memorial to the Ivorian embassy, demanding ‘truth and justice’ and the repatriation of Alino Faso’s body. The Traor© family also filed a complaint, leading to the opening of a judicial investigation in Faso on July 31, 2025.
On August 11, 2025, the Abidjan prosecutor reiterated the suicide theory, asserting that ‘the conditions of detention’ were adhered to, while also initiating a judicial investigation. The Burkinabe government announced the transfer of Alino Faso’s body to Burkina Faso on August 17, 2025, for a fitting tribute. His remains were received by a government delegation and a large crowd at Ouagadougou International Airport on August 18, 2025, and were subsequently moved to the Bogodogo Hospital morgue.
A forensic team from Bogodogo University Hospital conducted an autopsy on August 19, 2025, with the findings to be included in the investigation, as announced by the public prosecutor on August 20, 2025. On August 21, 2025, a tribute event was held at CENASA, where musicians performed, and tributes were paid to Alino Faso’s life and legacy. He was laid to rest at Gounghin Cemetery on August 23, 2025, in the presence of numerous mourners, marking the end of a chapter in the life of an influential and altruistic figure.
