Fake AI videos of R. Kelly and Pope fuel cult of Burkina junta chief
AI‑Driven Praise for Burkina Faso’s Capt. Traore
- Propaganda images imitate Beyoncé, Justin Bieber and even disgraced R. Kelly, creating a “personality cult” around the 2022 coup leader.
- One AI‑generated track, linked to R. Kelly’s sentence for sex trafficking, has attracted more than two million views since May.
- These visuals circulate widely across West African social media, extending beyond Burkina Faso to Mali, Niger and Guinea.
Traore’s Promised Control
In September 2022, Capt. Traore seized power and vowed to restore order to a country battered by Al‑Qaeda and ISIS‑ affiliated jihadists. Three years later, the region still suffers thousands of casualties, and attacks have intensified.
Traore now faces accusations of exploiting the nation’s gold reserves for personal protection. The US‑based General Langley’s criticisms sparked protests, while a surge of videos exalting Traore spread on social media.
Digital Propaganda Force
Activists and English‑speaking influencers share a mix of propaganda and AI‑generated content, praising Traore and denouncing Langley. Some profit from the wave; others work for the junta’s cyber entity, the Rapid Communication Intervention Battalions (BIR‑C).
The BIR‑C operates like a “digital army” led by US‑based activist Ibrahima Maiga, who claims “no direct links with Russian influence.” Yet the anti‑imperialist narrative of Traore—“saving Africa from Western neocolonialism”—aligns with Russia’s messaging, which amplifies it.
Rising Russian Connections
- Reports suggest Russian links in the surge of disinformation, especially campaigns targeting Ghana and Nigeria.
- Destabilizing Nigeria would have far‑reaching regional effects, warning an American researcher.
- Nigerian journalist Philip Obaji confirms that Burkina and Togo media accept funds from agents linked to Russia to relay these campaigns.
Bougan’s junta has expelled international press and local outlets self‑censor in fear of arrest or deployment against jihadists, a fate for some journalists. The Burkinabe diaspora also combats the pro‑junta narrative, but any comment or share is deemed glorifying terrorism, punishable by one to five years imprisonment.
