Independent journalism in Niger is currently under heavy fire, as the transitional government employs intimidation tactics and arbitrary arrests against reporters covering security matters and the ongoing national conflict, according to a recent statement from Amnesty International.
Following the military takeover on July 26, 2023—where General Abdourahamane Tchiani ousted President Mohamed Bazoum and established the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland—media liberties have significantly eroded. Many media professionals now resort to self-censorship to avoid potential retaliation or harassment from the ruling junta.
Samira Daoud, the Regional Director for West and Central Africa at Amnesty International, emphasized that this disregard for free speech comes at a critical time when the public desperately needs transparent reporting on the security crisis. She urged the Nigerien administration to release all journalists detained for their work and to ensure they can operate without fear of persecution.
On April 24, 2024, Soumana Maiga, who leads the publication L’Enquêteur, was taken into custody. His arrest followed an article regarding the alleged installation of surveillance technology by Russian operatives within government facilities. Currently held on charges of compromising national defense, Maiga could be sentenced to a decade in prison if convicted.
The transitional authorities must effectively fulfill their legal duties to respect, protect, and promote the human rights of every individual in the country.
Samira Daoud, Regional Director for West and Central Africa at Amnesty International
Earlier that month, on April 13, 2024, former presidential communications advisor Ousmane Toudou was also apprehended. Toudou had previously used social media to urge citizens to resist the military’s seizure of power. Despite legal limits on detention, he has yet to see a judge and faces a trial in a military court—a move that contradicts international standards requiring such courts to handle only military-specific offenses.
“We are increasingly cautious with our reporting for our own safety”
Tchima Illa Issoufou, a correspondent for the BBC Hausa service, became a target after reporting on the volatile security situation in the Tillabéri region. Accused of being a foreign puppet and attempting to destabilize Niger, she was forced to flee the country to escape security forces. Her reporting also led to the arrest of civil society member Ali Tera, who was detained on April 26, 2024, and transferred to the Niamey civil prison shortly after giving her an interview.
“The environment for media in Niger has become incredibly hostile. The core tenets of press freedom are under attack, and many of my colleagues and I are now forced to be extremely careful with what we write to ensure our own safety,” a local media director shared with Amnesty International under the condition of anonymity.
The crackdown extended to institutional levels in January 2024, when the transitional authorities suspended the Maison de la Presse, an umbrella organization for Niger’s media outlets. It was replaced by a committee controlled by the Ministry of the Interior.
Samira Daoud reminded the authorities that Niger is bound by international human rights treaties, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. She insisted that the current administration must uphold its legal duty to protect the fundamental rights of all citizens, including the right to information and freedom of the press.