The junta in Niger has announced a three-month suspension of the British broadcaster BBC, a decision that adds to the list of Western media outlets sanctioned in Sahelian countries governed by military regimes that came to power through coups.
The BBC is accused of broadcasting "misinformation aimed at destabilizing social peace and undermining the morale of troops" fighting jihadists, according to a statement from Communications Minister Sidi Mohamed Raliou. BBC programs,
particularly those in the Hausa language, are broadcast in Niger via local partner radio stations and are particularly popular.
The measure takes effect "immediately" and across the entire country.
Two other Western media outlets have been suspended in Niger: Radio France Internationale (RFI) and France 24, since August 2023, just days after the coup that allowed General Abdourahamane Tiani's junta to seize power in this Sahelian country.
(AFP)