Niger’s authorities have suspended the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) for three months following its coverage of an alleged extremist attack that reportedly claimed the lives of dozens of Nigerien soldiers and civilians.
The government accused the BBC of disseminating false information, which it claims destabilized public order and undermined troop morale.
The controversial BBC report, aired in Hausa, stated that gunmen killed over 90 soldiers and 40 civilians in two villages near the Burkina Faso border.
The French broadcaster Radio France Internationale (RFI) also reported the incident, describing it as a jihadi assault with the same death toll.
However, Niger’s government denied the attack, asserting it never occurred, and announced plans to file a complaint against RFI for “incitement to genocide.”
The incident highlights escalating tensions between Niger’s ruling junta and the international press amid ongoing security challenges. Niger, along with Burkina Faso and Mali, has battled a decade-long insurgency by jihadi groups.
The juntas in these countries have increasingly turned to Russian mercenaries for security after expelling French forces.
The suspension of the BBC and threats against RFI raise concerns over press freedom in Niger and the broader Sahel region.
These developments further underscore the precarious relationship between the military governments and international media outlets operating in the region.
