United States Agency for Global Media

VOA Provides Extensive Coverage of Attacks in Nigeria

April 24, 2014

VOA Provides Extensive Coverage of Attacks in Nigeria
A soldier walks past damaged buses following an explosion at a bus park in Abuja, Nigeria, Monday, April. 14, 2014. Suspected Islamic militants struck at the heart of Nigeria with a massive rush-hour explosion at a bus station Monday that killed 71, with the toll expected to rise in the deadliest attack yet on the nation’s capital. Survivors screamed in anguish and the stench of burning fuel and flesh hung over the site where billows of black smoke rose as firefighters worked to put out the fires. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)
A soldier walks past damaged buses following an explosion at a bus park in Abuja, Nigeria, Monday, April. 14, 2014. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

Amidst the terror of bus bombs and mass kidnappings in Nigeria, the Voice of America is keeping its audiences informed, providing extensive news coverage across multiple platforms. VOA’s Hausa and English-to-Africa Services provided up-to-the-minute reporting on two major recent attacks on April 14: a rush-hour bus bomb that killed more than 71 civilians in Abuja and the abduction of more than 100 Nigerian school girls from their boarding school in Borno State.

VOA’s Hausa Service is providing uncompromising coverage and updates. Interviews have included Kashim Shettima, governor of Borno State, and Ruquayat Rufai, the Nigerian Minister of Education as well as security officials, teachers, parents and eyewitnesses. In an exclusive interview with one of the survivors of the kidnapping, VOA revealed reported that militants invaded the school under the guise of Nigerian security forces.

With attacks by the Boko Haram on the rise, VOA’s accurate and timely information reaches audiences via its website, radio broadcasts and very popular mobile site. In February the Hausa Service launched DandalinVOA, a 24/7 mobile phone platform that provides users with the latest analyses, breaking news and information. This new service allows VOA Hausa to go live on the 24/7 mobile stream at any time to cover breaking news. Most notably, through this platform, VOA was one of the first to uncover that many of the young women are still missing, despite reports from the Nigerian government that most of them had been rescued.

In addition to breaking news, VOA is also providing important context and analysis on the situation in northern Nigeria. Its weekend program MU Tattauna (Dialogue) focuses specifically on news in Northern Nigeria, offering analysis and round table discussion as well as commentaries from religious, civic and community leaders. Daily program Shirin Dare (Night Show) analyzes violent extremism and terrorism in West Africa, and also allows listeners to voice their opinions on topics and current events in a live call-in segment.

VOA’s coverage of the attacks has been cited by several prominent news outlets including NPRand the New York Times.