Niger’s government has suspended the BBC for three months, citing alleged false reporting on an extremist attack that purportedly resulted in the deaths of dozens of soldiers and civilians. Communications Minister Raliou Sidi Mohamed announced the suspension on Thursday, accusing the BBC of spreading “false information aimed at destabilizing social calm and undermining the troops’ morale.”
The decision affects local radio stations that rebroadcast BBC content, with authorities instructing them to halt all BBC programs immediately. While the BBC declined to comment on the suspension, its Hausa-language broadcasts are popular across Niger, reaching millions in the region.
The controversy arose after the BBC reported in Hausa that more than 90 Nigerien soldiers and 40 civilians were killed in gunmen attacks near the border with Burkina Faso. French broadcaster RFI echoed similar details, labeling the incident a jihadi attack and citing the same casualty figures.
However, Niger’s government has denied the occurrence of any such attack, stating on national television that the reports were untrue. Authorities have accused RFI of “incitement to genocide” and announced plans to file a formal complaint against the French broadcaster.
Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali have long struggled with extremist insurgencies, with groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State operating in the region. Following military coups in all three nations, their ruling juntas expelled French forces and sought security assistance from Russian mercenary groups, escalating tensions with Western media outlets.