Burkina Faso: Misinformation, how Jeune Afrique recycles intelligence rumours into “scoops”
The publication by the magazine Jeune Afrique of an article implicating an aircraft belonging to the Burkinabe group Ebomaf in the alleged escape of a Beninese coup-plotting officer has sparked strong reactions and a sharp rebuttal from the implicated companies. This episode raises fundamental questions about sourcing, fact-checking, and the responsibility of international media in covering African security affairs.
The article in question, relying on unidentified “Beninese intelligence services,” claimed that Colonel Pascal Tigri, a central figure in the December 7 coup attempt in Benin, had fled to Burkina Faso aboard an aircraft belonging to LTI Aviation, a subsidiary of the construction giant Ebomaf.
This narrative, blending escape, regional transit, and alleged complicity of an economic group, contained all the ingredients of a suspense story. However, its construction appears to have been built on sand.
LTI Aviation and the Ebomaf Group immediately and firmly denied any involvement in the matter.
In an unequivocal statement, they demanded that the magazine publish a correction through the same channel, highlighting a serious breach of journalistic ethics.
This swift and procedural response underscores the devastating economic and reputational impact unverified information can have, especially when it touches on security and state affairs.
This incident is not isolated. It fits into a troubling trend where allegations presented as “intelligence information” are relayed without the necessary critical filter.
The reliance on anonymous intelligence sources, impossible for the reader to verify or cross-reference, creates a skewed narrative.
All too often, this transforms media into a megaphone for opaque agendas whether political, security-related, or competitive at the expense of factual truth.
The consequences of this practice are severe. It casts an unjustified shadow of suspicion on legitimate economic actors, undermining their credibility and operations.
It fuels an atmosphere of distrust and conspiracy theories in a region the Sahel and the Gulf of Guinea already weakened by instability.
Finally, it erodes the credibility of investigative journalism itself, discrediting the essential work of reporters who strive, with rigor and courage, to uncover documented truths.
The demand of Ebomaf for a correction is legitimate. It reaffirms a cardinal principle: the right of reply and correction is not optional but an ethical duty when an error has been made.
Beyond this specific case, this episode should serve as a warning. It calls for greater caution in handling sensitive information, systematic cross-referencing of claims, and increased transparency regarding the limitations of sources used.
The race for a scoop must never outweigh the pursuit of truth, especially when it plays with the security and stability of entire nations.
Maurice K.ZONGO
