The climate is worsening for press freedom in Niger. Gazali Abdou , local correspondent for the German international media outlet Deutsche Welle (DW) , was detained this Friday, January 23, 2026, in Niamey.

A sensitive report on the refugees involved?

Although the official reasons for his imprisonment have not been communicated by the authorities, several concurring sources point to his latest journalistic work.

On January 15th, Gazali Abdou published a report in Hausa highlighting the extreme poverty of Nigerian refugees in Niamey. The images and testimonies described families living in cemeteries or abandoned buildings, destitute after their makeshift camp burned down.

A context of increased repression

This arrest comes amid heightened tensions between the ruling military junta and independent media. It echoes other recent cases:

1. Provisional release of Ali Soumana: The head of the newspaper Le Courrier had just been released from four months of pre-trial detention after investigating an alleged corruption case involving the Prime Minister.
2. Conviction of Hassane Zada: Last September, this journalist was sentenced to 30 months in prison for remarks deemed insulting towards General Abdourahamane Tiani.

Freedom of the press is declining

Niger continues its slide in international rankings. According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF) , the country now occupies 83rd place worldwide, dropping three places in a year. For its part, Amnesty International is alarmed by a surge in civil and political rights violations since the military came to power more than two years ago.