Why Burkina Faso’s Junta Suspended Radio Station

For broadcasting what it considers an “insult” to Niger’s new military leaders, Burkina Faso’s junta-led government has suspended one of the country’s most popular radio stations, “Radio Omega.”

A statement by the Communications Minister, Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouedraogo, said the station was suspended immediately on Thursday “until further notice.”

According to him, the measure was “in the higher interests of the nation.”

The station, part of the Omega media group owned by journalist and former foreign minister Alpha Barry, ceased broadcasting after the statement was issued late Thursday.

Reports say the channel had run an interview with Ousmane Abdoul Moumouni, the spokesman of a newly-established Nigerien group campaigning to return President Mohamed Bazoum to power.

The country’s elected leader was overthrown on July 26 by members of the Presidential Guard.

Moumouni made “insulting comments about the new Nigerien authorities,” said Ouedraogo, who is also a government spokesman.

His organisation “is clearly campaigning for violence and war against the sovereign people of Niger” and seeks to restore Bazoum “by every means,” he charged.

Burkina Faso underwent two military coups last year, each triggered in part — as in Mali and Niger — by discontent at failures to stem a raging jihadist insurgency.

It swiftly declared solidarity with Niger’s new leaders and joined Mali in warning that any military intervention to restore Bazoum would be considered a “declaration of war” against them.

The Burkinabe authorities in recent months have suspended the French TV outlets LCI and France24 as well as Radio France Internationale and expelled the correspondents of the French newspapers Liberation and Le Monde.

Meanwhile, Kanyi Daily reported that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Thursday, ordered its standby force to restore constitutional order in the Niger Republic.

ECOWAS President, Omar Alieu Touray stated this while reading the resolution of the regional bloc on the military coup during its meeting in Abuja.