Burkina Faso’s government led by the junta has temporarily halted the operations of a highly popular radio station.
This action was taken in response to the station broadcasting an interview that was deemed “insulting” towards Niger’s new military leaders.
Radio Omega was immediately suspended on Thursday until further notice, Communications Minister, Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouedraogo, said in a statement.
“The measure was done 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.
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.
“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 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.
