The Republic of Niger’s government has cracked down on international media, filing a lawsuit against Radio France Internationale (RFI) for “inciting genocide” and suspending BBC broadcasts for three months over claims of disinformation, Morocco’s Press Agency (MAP) reported.
This decision was issued on Tuesday following reports by RFI and the BBC about a deadly terrorist attack in the western town of Chatoumane, near the border with Burkina Faso.
Nigerien authorities vehemently denied the media reports and labeled them as a “gross and shameful campaign of disinformation with genocidal undertones.”
Niger’s Minister of Communication, Sidi Mohamed Raliou, announced the immediate suspension of all BBC programming and broadcasts in the country, for a three-month period.
Raliou said that the government has already banned other French media outlets, including France 24 and RFI, for similar reasons.
These moves underscore escalating tensions between Niger’s transitional government and foreign media, as the country navigates heightened security concerns and growing international scrutiny.