Niger confirms journalist Moussa Kaka is in state custody

Niger's Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Alio Daouda, has confirmed that journalist Moussa Kaka is alive and currently in state custody. This statement follows the disappearance of Kaka, the director of Radio-Télévision Saraounia, who was last seen leaving his office in Niamey on August 13, 2026.

While the Minister stated that Kaka is being held due to alleged offenses and must answer to the courts, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) maintains that the journalist remains a victim of forced disappearance and arbitrary detention. RSF noted that until the authorities specify his location and the exact charges against him, and until he is granted access to legal counsel and his family, the situation remains critical.

The case highlights a deteriorating environment for media professionals in Niger following the July 2023 coup led by General Abdourahamane Tiani. RSF has engaged the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances to address the matter.