BBC radio banned in Niger over fake news

BBC and RFI cited Western security sources, without any independent local verification of reported fatality figures

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Niger has suspended BBC radio for three months following a report that claimed militants had killed 90 soldiers in the western Tera region.

The report, aired by the BBC, was deemed "erroneous" by the country's military government, which accused the broadcaster of spreading information that could destabilise social peace and lower the morale of troops fighting militant groups.

The suspension, which comes into effect immediately, adds the BBC to a growing list of Western media outlets banned by Niger’s military junta.

Since seizing power in a coup in July 2023, the junta has been clamping down on foreign media, accusing them of spreading misinformation.

In addition to the BBC, two French broadcasters, Radio France Internationale (RFI) and France 24, have also been banned since August 2023.

On the day the BBC aired its report, which carried militant claims of killing upwards of 90 soldiers and 40 civilians in Chatoumane, the junta strongly denied the attack, calling the reports "baseless assertions" and accusing the media of a "campaign of intoxication."

The military junta also filed a complaint against RFI for similar reporting.

While the BBC and RFI cited Western security sources, no independent local verification of the reported figures was available.

Niger’s military later confirmed an attack, but with far fewer casualties, stating that 10 soldiers had died in a separate incident.

The Sahel region, including Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali, has been plagued by militants violence in recent years.

The borders between these countries are known to be hotspots for armed groups linked to Daesh and Al-Qaeda.

As Niger, along with its regional neighbours, distances itself from France and its former colonial powers, media outlets critical of the military government have faced increasing scrutiny and action.

The junta has recently aligned more closely with Russia, expelling French troops who had been stationed in the region.

Niger's military government has repeatedly faced criticism from Western countries for its handling of the situation.