BBC Suspended in Niger Over Alleged False Reporting on Attack
BAMAKO, MALI – The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has been suspended from operating in Niger for three months, following accusations of disseminating false news.
Niger’s Communications Minister, Sidi Mohamed Raliou, stated that the BBC’s reporting contained inaccuracies intended to disrupt public order and demoralize troops.
The controversy stems from a BBC report on an attack in Chatoumane, near the Burkina Faso border, which claimed that dozens of soldiers and civilians were killed. The Niger military administration, however, refuted this claim, confirming only 10 soldier casualties.
In response, Raliou directed local radio stations to immediately cease broadcasting BBC content. The suspension has also affected BBC programs that are rebroadcast through local station partnerships.
Further escalating the situation, Niger’s administration has lodged a formal complaint against Radio France Internationale (RFI), accusing it of inciting genocide and conducting a disinformation campaign concerning the same attack.
This move reflects rising tensions between international media organizations and Niger’s military administration, particularly regarding coverage of security and governance issues in the region.
BBC Suspended in Niger Over Alleged False Reporting on Attack
BAMAKO, MALI – The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has been suspended from operating in Niger for three months, following accusations of disseminating false news.
Niger’s Communications Minister, Sidi Mohamed Raliou, stated that the BBC’s reporting contained inaccuracies intended to disrupt public order and demoralize troops.
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The controversy stems from a BBC report on an attack in Chatoumane, near the Burkina Faso border, which claimed that dozens of soldiers and civilians were killed. The Niger military administration, however, refuted this claim, confirming only 10 soldier casualties.
In response, Raliou directed local radio stations to immediately cease broadcasting BBC content. The suspension has also affected BBC programs that are rebroadcast through local station partnerships.
Further escalating the situation, Niger’s administration has lodged a formal complaint against Radio France Internationale (RFI), accusing it of inciting genocide and conducting a disinformation campaign concerning the same attack.
This move reflects rising tensions between international media organizations and Niger’s military administration, particularly regarding coverage of security and governance issues in the region.
