Lekki investigate report: FG threatens to sanction CNN

 

The threat by the federal government to sanction US Cable News Network, CNN, over its investigative report on the shooting of #EndSARS protesters by soldiers at Lekki Tollgate, Lagos, yesterday provoked outrage across the country.

Government also challenged the promoters of #EndSARS campaign who accused soldiers of mass killing of innocent, peaceful and unarmed   protesters at the tollgate to produce evidence of the mass murder or shut up.

But CNN in a statement by its spokesperson, said it stood by its story, adding that the report was carefully and meticulously researched.

Noting that its report was based on testimony from dozens of witnesses and verified footage of soldiers appearing to shoot in direction of protesters, CNN said:  “Our reporting was carefully and meticulously researched, and we stand by it.”

Those who expressed outrage include civil society organisations, CSOs, the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, and Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SANs, who advised government to be cautions in its dealing with the news network

However, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the report by CNN on the EndSARS protest was not factual and called on the media company to sanction the erring reporters on the matter.

He said the federal government would on its part, take necessary steps to punish the international news organisation, though he did not say what nature of punishment would be meted out on the news network.

said:  “CNN goofed in its preconceived stance that the soldiers who were  deployed to Lekki Toll Gate, indeed, shot at protesters, killing some of  them. CNN relied heavily on unverified and possibly-doctored videos,  as well as information sourced from questionable sources, to reach its  conclusion. This should earn CNN a serious sanction for irresponsible  reporting.

“Like everyone else, I watched the CNN report. I must tell you that  it reinforces the disinformation that is going round, and it is  blatantly irresponsible and a poor piece of journalistic work by a  reputable international news organization.

CNN engaged in incredible  sensationalism and did a great disservice to itself and to journalism.  In the first instance, CNN, which touted its report as an exclusive  investigative report, sadly relied on the same videos that have been  circulating on social media, without verification.

“This is very  serious and CNN should be sanctioned for that. CNN merely said the  videos were ‘’obtained by CNN’’, without saying wherefrom and whether  or not it authenticated them. Were CNN reporters and cameramen  at the Lekki Toll Gate that evening?

• ‘’If the answer is no, on what basis were they reporting? Relying on second or third hand information  and presenting it as ‘CNN Investigation’?

“Why didn’t the CNN balance its story by showing the compelling testimony of Brig.-Gen. Taiwo before the Judicial Panel in Lagos? Is this one-sided reporting what is expected  from an international media organization or any serious news  organization? If CNN had done its investigation properly, it would  have known how fake news and disinformation were trending during the  #EndSARS crisis.