Niger Military Junta Suspends BBC Broadcasts for Alleged Fake News

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Niger’s military rulers have suspended the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) for three months, accusing the outlet of disseminating “fake news” that could undermine public peace and demoralize soldiers battling jihadist insurgents. The suspension, announced by Niger’s Minister of Communication, Raliou Sidi Mohamed, took immediate effect.

The BBC, whose programmes are broadcast in Hausa and French through local radio partners, reaches an estimated 2.4 million people in Niger annually—roughly 17% of the adult population. While the broadcast ban is in place, Nigeriens can still access BBC content via its website or shortwave radio.

The suspension follows a BBC report on jihadist attacks in Niger’s volatile Tillaberi region that reportedly claimed the lives of 91 soldiers and nearly 50 civilians. The junta dismissed these reports as “baseless assertions” and accused the BBC of orchestrating a “campaign of intoxication” to erode troop morale and sow division among the Nigerien people.

According to various sources, the attacks involved gunmen, believed to be linked to the Islamic State group, who launched coordinated assaults in the Chatoumane village. In one attack, insurgents disguised as civilians ambushed soldiers patrolling a weekly market, exploiting the soldiers’ hesitation to return fire due to potential civilian casualties.

A BBC spokesperson defended the organization’s reporting, stating: “We stand by our journalism and will continue to report on the region without fear or favour.”

This is not the first instance of media suppression under Niger’s military government. French outlets France24 and Radio France Internationale (RFI) were suspended after the junta seized power in a coup in July 2023, ousting democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum.

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The junta has also announced plans to file a complaint against RFI, accusing it of “incitement to genocide” and acting as a propaganda tool for France, Niger’s former colonial ruler. RFI rejected the accusations as “extravagant and defamatory,” adding that they were unsupported by evidence.

Niger is part of the Sahel region, which has become a hotspot for jihadist insurgencies linked to the Islamic State group and al-Qaeda. The Tillaberi region, situated near the borders of Mali and Burkina Faso, is particularly unstable. Military-led governments in Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali have all experienced coups in recent years, often citing the failure to curb militant violence as justification for seizing power.

These regimes have adopted a hardline stance toward foreign media, frequently accusing outlets of bias or misinformation. The BBC itself faced a suspension in Burkina Faso over a report alleging mass killings by the country’s army.

In response to the insurgency, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali have formed an alliance to combat jihadist groups. The countries have expelled French troops, once a key security partner, and instead sought military support from Russia and Turkey.

While the military governments aim to project strength in the face of escalating violence, the suppression of international media raises questions about transparency and accountability in the region’s fight against extremism.

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