The transitional government in Niger announced on December 12, 2024, a three-month suspension of British broadcaster BBC, adding to a growing list of Western media outlets sanctioned by Sahelian regimes established through military coups since 2020.
This suspension follows similar actions in neighboring Burkina Faso, where authorities recently imposed a two-week ban on the BBC and Voice of America (VOA).
Both outlets were accused of disseminating reports alleging military abuses in the fight against jihadists.
According to Niger’s Minister of Communication, Sidi Mohamed Raliou, the BBC broadcast “erroneous information aimed at destabilizing social peace and undermining the morale of troops combating jihadists.”
The ban applies nationwide and took effect immediately.
The BBC’s Hausa-language programs, which are widely followed in Niger through local partner radio stations, are now off the air.
Tensions with Western Media Escalate
Niger’s suspension of the BBC comes on the heels of earlier bans on Radio France Internationale (RFI) and France 24 in August 2023, shortly after General Abdourahamane Tiani’s junta seized power.
These measures were justified by accusations of biased reporting.
On the same day as the BBC ban, Niger’s military government announced its intention to file a lawsuit against RFI, accusing the broadcaster of “inciting genocide and intercommunal violence.”
No specific reports were cited, but the announcement follows Western media coverage of a reported jihadist attack in Chatoumane, near the Burkina Faso border.
Reports on December 11 claimed that the attack resulted in 90 soldiers and at least 40 civilians killed, though the figures have not been independently verified.
While an unnamed Western security source confirmed the death toll, the Nigerien junta dismissed the reports as “baseless claims and a campaign of misinformation.”
Wider Crackdown Across the Sahel
The media crackdown in Niger mirrors similar actions in Mali and Burkina Faso, both also governed by military juntas.
These nations, now united with Niger in the Sahel States Alliance (AES), have expelled French troops and frequently denounce French policies in the region.
The transitional governments accuse Western media of being tools of foreign propaganda and have silenced many critical voices, expelling journalists and banning outlets.
Amid these media tensions, insecurity in the Sahel persists.
Jihadist attacks linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State continue to claim lives despite military countermeasures.
Niger’s military, which occasionally releases official figures, recently reported the deaths of 10 soldiers in an attack on December 10.
According to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), over 1,500 civilians and soldiers have died in Niger due to armed violence in the past year, more than double the casualties reported between mid-2022 and mid-2023.
The worsening security situation underscores the challenges facing Sahelian states as they navigate their relationships with both local populations and international media scrutiny.
