The military government of Niger has announced the suspension of BBC radio broadcasts for three months, citing allegations of disseminating false information that could destabilize the country and demoralize its troops fighting jihadist insurgents.
The decision, effective immediately, was disclosed by Niger’s Minister of Communication, Raliou Sidi Mohamed.
The suspension affects BBC programmes in Hausa and French, which reach approximately 2.4 million people in Niger annually, or 17% of the adult population, through local radio partnerships.
While the government did not identify a specific broadcast, the suspension follows BBC reports on jihadist attacks in the volatile Tillaberi region.
The attacks, which allegedly killed 91 soldiers and nearly 50 civilians, were reported by multiple sources, including security blogs.
The junta dismissed these reports as “baseless assertions” and accused the BBC of participating in a “campaign of intoxication orchestrated by adversaries of the Nigerien people aimed at undermining the morale of our troops and sowing division.”
The government emphasized that the BBC’s website remains accessible, and broadcasts can still be heard on shortwave radio.
Reports of the attacks in Chatoumane village describe gunmen, believed to be linked to the Islamic State group, launching two coordinated strikes.
In one incident, attackers disguised as civilians opened fire on soldiers in a crowded weekly market, preventing the troops from retaliating due to the risk of harming bystanders.
The Tillaberi region, near the borders of Mali and Burkina Faso, is a hotspot for jihadist activity and part of the Sahel, now considered a global epicentre for groups linked to both the Islamic State and al-Qaeda.
The suspension of the BBC follows earlier bans on French broadcasters, France24 and Radio France Internationale, after the military seized power in Niger through a coup in July 2023.
The junta has accused RFI of being a propaganda outlet for France, Niger’s former colonial ruler, and plans to file a complaint against the outlet for “incitement to genocide.” RFI dismissed the allegations as “extravagant and defamatory,” stating that they lacked evidence.
Similar restrictions on foreign media have been imposed in other Sahel countries like Mali and Burkina Faso, both of which have experienced coups in recent years. These nations, along with Niger, have expelled French troops and pivoted toward Russia and Turkey for security support.
Despite forming an alliance to counter the jihadist insurgency, the military-led governments in the Sahel continue to face persistent violence.
The Nigerien junta, which justified its coup by criticizing the civilian government’s inability to contain insecurity, is now under pressure as attacks intensify.
