The BBC has vowed to continue its reporting on the Sahel region despite a three-month suspension of its radio broadcasts by Niger Republic’s military government.
The junta accused the broadcaster of spreading “false information likely to destabilise social peace and weaken troop morale.”
The decision, announced on Thursday, affects the BBC’s popular programmes, including Hausa-language broadcasts that reach an estimated 2.4 million people in Niger. These programmes, aired through local radio partners, are a key source of information for many in the region.
“This directly impacts our ability to reach audiences with much-needed accurate and impartial news,” a BBC spokesperson said, emphasising that the organisation stands by its journalism and will continue to report on the region.
The suspension follows reports by both the BBC and Radio France Internationale (RFI) that jihadist fighters had killed over 90 soldiers and 40 civilians in Chatoumane, near Niger’s border with Burkina Faso.
The junta dismissed the reports as “unfounded” and part of a “campaign of misinformation.”
The Niger government has previously targeted Western media since the July 2023 military coup, banning outlets like RFI and France 24. On Thursday, it also announced legal action against RFI.
While independent verification of the attack’s death toll is difficult, a Western security source told AFP that between 90 and 100 people were killed in the incident.
Niger’s ruling authorities have faced criticism for curtailing press freedom and restricting access to independent information.
Despite the suspension, the BBC has reaffirmed its commitment to providing reliable news to audiences in the Sahel without interference.
The move adds to growing tensions between the military government and Western media, raising concerns over press freedom in the region.
