We stand by our story, CNN replies Lai Mohammed
“Our reporting was carefully and meticulously researched, and we stand by it”
Demonstrators protest police brutality at the Lekki toll gate on Oct 20
(Photo by Adetona Omokanye/Getty Images)
International news broadcaster CNN insists it stands by its investigation into the October 20 shooting by army at ENDSARS protesters at Lekki toll gate.
It came in response to information minister Lai Mohammed calling for sanction on foreign media after the story linked the shooting to the army.
Mohammed called the report “blatantly irresponsible”.
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, the news outlet said.
“Our reporting was carefully and meticulously researched, and we stand by it,” said a spokesperson for the outlet.
Massacre without bodies
The CNN story is the latest expose into the shooting at Lekki that has come to be called a massacre in some quarters.
Mohammed said the allegation of massacre at the toll gate only succeeded in misleading the world.
A panel is investigating allegations.
Until the out come of the investigation, “we can say that the world has just witnessed a massacre without bodies” in Lekki.
Protesters at the venue, in photos and video recordings, allege soldiers arrived the scene and shot at them.
Protesters chanted the National Anthem in response, amidst shrieks of terror.
They also allege soldiers took away bodies of protesters.
The minister insisted that the military did not shoot at protesters at the toll gate.
He asked anyone who has contrary proofs to make them available to the panel investigating the matter.
In the wake of the initial allegations, the military denied soldiers were at the protest, insisting the images were digitally manipulated.
Days later, it swung around to say the military was at the scene at the instance of Lagos state government.
It has since gone on to say soldiers did not fire live bullets at the protest.
In the wake of the CNN story, Chief of Army Staff Lt-Gen Tukur Buratai said the army followed “rules of engagement” in the Lekki tollgate incident.