The United States is financing a new 24-hour satellite TV channel in
northern Nigeria meant to counter insurgencies by the militant Islamist
Boko Haram and other groups in the region, the New York Times reported on
Friday.
A U.S. official confirmed the project was under way but did not give full
details. The official said the United States would “support Nigerian
efforts to provide an attractive alternative to the messaging of violent
extremists.”
The project is a result of discussions with Nigeria dating back to late
2012 on ways to cooperate against Boko Haram and the content of the
channel will be produced by Nigerians in Nigeria, the official said.
The United States has in recent months increased its collaboration with
Lagos in response to violence from Boko Haram, including surveillance and
communications help after the abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls in
April.
The Times said the TV channel, which is not yet broadcasting but is near
to completion, is financed by the State Department’s Bureau of
Counterterrorism and is expected to cost about $6 million.
The project is run in Nigeria by Equal Access International, a San
Francisco-based government contractor that has managed media programs
sponsored by the State Department in Yemen and Pakistan meant to encourage
youth participation in politics and counter Islamist extremism, it said.
The paper quoted foreign policy experts saying the project faced several
challenges in a region with low levels of infrastructure, public services,
literacy and security. Access to electricity is limited and few people own
televisions.
In addition to the broadcasts, the Times said the project would provide
training to journalists in the region. (Reporting by David Storey; editing
by Andrew Hay)