On Friday, February 14, 2025, Nazirou Sidi Ali, Managing Director of the online media outlet Le Parakois, was interrogated by the Office Central de Répression de la Cybercriminalité (OCRC) in Parakou over an article he published.
The article, titled “Diplomatie: Révocation de l’ambassadeur Gildas Agonkan”, discusses the dismissal of Benin’s ambassador to Niger, Gildas Agonkan. According to the piece, the ambassador was allegedly sacked for publicly apologising to the people of Niger on behalf of the Benin government during the swearing-in ceremony of the 7th graduating class of the Institut International de Santé (IIS) Koubeyni on February 1, 2025.
This incident occurred amid ongoing diplomatic tensions between Benin and Niger following the 2023 coup in Niger, which have centred on economic and border-related issues. The apology, reportedly unauthorised by the Beninese government, sparked controversy.
Nazirou Sidi Ali was summoned by phone and complied immediately. Following the questioning, he reported being subjected to intimidation.
“I was asked to remain right in front of them. When I needed to use the toilet, a police officer followed me, as if I were a convict trying to escape. They even denied me the right to speak to colleagues who had come to support me,” said the journalist.
He added that the interrogation appeared focused on uncovering the identity of the source who informed him about the ambassador’s dismissal.
“I only realised that it was the source of the information that interested them. I spent the whole day at the OCRC in Parakou, and I kept insisting that journalists must not disclose their sources. Our code of ethics compels us to protect them.”
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) strongly condemns this act of harassment, which reflects attempts by the authorities to intimidate journalists and pressure them into revealing their sources, contrary to professional journalistic ethics. We urge the OCRC to cease the intimidation of Nazirou Sidi Ali and to allow him to carry out his journalistic work without interference.