Burkina Faso’s Interior Minister, Simon Compaore, has said that the country had foiled a coup plot by forces loyal to ousted President Blaise Compaore.

A BBC report quoted the minister as saying that at least ten of the plotters had been arrested, but the top suspects were still on the run, adding that the coup was to have been staged on 8 October, with an attack on the presidential palace in the capital, Ouagadougou.

Recall that forces loyal to Compaore had staged a coup in September 2015, but surrendered a week later after protests and opposition from top generals.

French-educated banker Roch Marc-Kabore was elected president in November, ending a turbulent period since ex-president Compaore’s overthrow in a popular uprising in 2014.

According to the interior minister, the latest coup plotters had also planned to attack a prison to free those held over last year’s coup.

Gilbert Diendere, an army General and the former head of Comapore’s presidential guard, was detained for seizing power in September 2015.

He has been charged with 11 crimes including threatening state security, murder, collusion with foreign forces, voluntary assault and wilful destruction of property.

Blaise Compaore, no relation to the interior minister, is exiled in neighbouring Ivory Coast.

He was driven out of power by crowds opposed to his bid to change the constitution to extend his 27-year rule.

He was accused of committing widespread abuses during his rule.