#EndSARS: “We Stand By Our Report On Lekki Shooting” – CNN Replies Nigerian Goverment

The Cable News Network (CNN) has reacted to the Federal Government’s stance that it should be sanctioned over its report on the alleged Lekki Toll Gate massacre.

KanyiDaily recalls that CNN had released its findings from an independent investigation carried out on the shooting incident involving the Nigerian Army and peaceful #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate.

The video documentary which went viral on the social media shows Nigerian soldiers shooting directly at #EndSARS protesters despite series of denials by the Nigerian authorities.

However, while addressing a press conference on Thursday, the minister of information, Lai Mohammed said that CNN should be sanctioned for misinformation and irresponsible reporting.

He referred to previous reports done by CNN which lacked balance while insisting that the military fired blank bullets into the air and not at the crowd.

But in a swift reaction that same Thursday, CNN said that stands by its report that soldiers used live bullets on #EndSARS protesters in Lagos.

CNN said the report is based on multiple witness account, adding that the army and police declined calls to respond to the investigation before the story was published.

“Our reporting was carefully and meticulously researched, and we stand by it,” the statement read.

“The report was based on testimony from dozens of witnesses, and photos and video obtained and geolocated by CNN. It painted a picture of how members of the Nigerian army and the police shot at the crowd, killing at least one person and wounding dozens more.

“CNN verified photos and videos acquired from multiple eyewitnesses and protesters using timestamps and other data from the video files.

“Video footage shows soldiers who appear to be shooting in the direction of protesters. And accounts from eyewitnesses established that after the army withdrew, a second round of shooting happened later in the evening.

“Prior to publishing the report, CNN tried multiple times to elicit comment from the Nigerian army and police. A Lagos State police spokesman declined to comment because of an ongoing investigation.

“While a statement from the Lagos State government said that there would be no comment while a judicial tribunal was underway.”

KanyiDaily recalls that a former Nigerian presidential aspirant, Adamu Garba, had said he would have sued CNN if its documentary had instigated or sponsored the people of Nigeria against its government.