Cable News Network, CNN has reacted to Federal Government’s threat of sanctions over its investigative report on the October 20 shooting of #EndSARS protesters at Lekki tollgate.
The international media outfit investigated the incident and revealed its findings recently.
During a press conference in Abuja, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, revealed that the report by the media house was one-dimensional and lacked balance. He however called for the sanction of the media outfit.
While reacting to the threat through a statement issued by the spokesperson of company’s spokesperson, CNN disclosed it stands by its investigation.
CNN said: “Our reporting was carefully and meticulously researched, and we stand by it. 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.”
