Ivory Coast: Has Abidjan decided to eliminate ALINO Faso, who is becoming an inconvenient activist?
The recent suspicious death of Alain Traoré, also known as ALINO Faso, who was detained at the Gendarmerie School in Abidjan, has sparked a wave of outrage and raised many questions.
ALINO Faso was known for his outspoken criticism of the Ivorian government. Arrested on January 10, 2025, he was facing multiple charges, including colluding with agents of a foreign state, plotting against state authority, and spreading false information. His detractors considered him a threat to the country’s stability, while his supporters saw him as a defender of truth and justice.
According to the official statement from the Prosecutor of the Republic at the Abidjan Court of First Instance, the activist ALINO Faso allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself with his bedsheet after a failed attempt to slit his wrists. However, this version of events leaves a bitter taste, as several sources suggest it was actually a targeted assassination.
According to our colleagues at Sahel24.info, ALINO Faso was allegedly tortured by agents of the Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DST) before succumbing to his injuries. If proven true, these allegations would cast a dark shadow over the practices of the Ivorian security forces and raise serious questions about the possible direct or indirect involvement of the state in his death.
The day before his death, a post on Henry Sebgo’s page allegedly accused ALINO Faso of being in contact with the outside world—a claim that turned out to be false. This misinformation reportedly led to an intense interrogation and his eventual death. According to Sahel24.info sources, DST agents used brutal methods of torture, including cutting tools and simulated drowning.
The same sources claim that after his death, DST agents moved his body, tore up his bedsheets, and staged the scene to simulate a suicide by hanging. This staging aligns with the suicide theory presented by the Prosecutor, but it is strongly contested by ALINO Faso’s supporters and human rights advocates.
The death of ALINO Faso raises many questions and casts doubt over the true circumstances of his demise. Ongoing investigations must determine whether the allegations of torture and evidence fabrication are legitimate—and whether Ivorian authorities were involved in a possible targeted killing.
