#EndSARS: CNN Should Be Sanctioned Over Its Report On Lekki Shooting – Lai Mohammed

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed has called for sanctions against the Cable News Network (CNN) 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 in Abuja on Thursday, 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.

He urged that persons who have alleged massacres, as well as relatives with missing family members, report at the judicial panel to lay official complaints.

“We insist that the military did not shoot at the protesters at Lekki. They fired blank ammunition into the air. Anyone who knows anyone who was killed at Lekki toll gate should go straight to the judicial panel with evidence,” he said.

He also said the CNN report conveniently excluded the looting, violence by citizens, 269 private facilities burnt and looted, 243 govt facilities vandalized

The minister said that in the orgy of violence, 269 private/corporate facilities were burnt, looted or vandalised, 243 government facilities burnt and vandalised and 81 government warehouses looted.

Mohammed frowned at the position of some human rights organisations and media houses which continued to dwell on “the bodiless and bloodless ‘massacre’ at Lekki Toll Gate’’.

“They became suspect after they simply ignored the brutal killing and maiming of security agents during the crisis.

“They did not see anything wrong in the public and private properties that were burnt or looted, neither did they see anything wrong in the fact that some of the businesses that were looted belonged to struggling young men and women. All they could see in their biased view of the whole situation was a hoax massacre,’’ he said.

Mohammed said the federal government is satisfied with the role played by the security agencies, especially the military and the police, all through the EndSARS crisis.

“At this point, it is important to say that the Federal Government is very satisfied with roles played by the security agencies, especially the military, and the police all through the EndSARS crisis.

“They were professional. Even when their lives were at stake, they exercised uncommon restraints. Their professionalism saved many lives and properties,” he said

Mohammed said the government will not accept a situation in which some human rights bodies and jaundiced media organisations will continue to harass the security agencies over their roles during the crisis.

The minister also added that the Nigerian Government will work with stakeholders to curb fake news on social media.

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.