A group in Nigeria, Initiative to Save Democracy (ISD), has demanded an apology from the Cable News Network (CNN) for what it described as its unprofessional and sensationalized reporting on the Lekki shooting during the #EndSARS protest in Lagos.
The group said CNN’s exaggerated reporting played no small role in misleading Nigerians and people around the world about what really happened in Lekki, and for that, it should apologise to Nigerians.
READ ALSO: Sanwo-Olu Names Council Building After Tinubu, Warns Youths Against Vandalism
In a statement signed by its President, James Sunday Akinloye, ISD maintained that the CNN’s report did not contain any real investigation, rather it was mixed with inaccurate and incorrect reporting.
This, it claimed was why the news giant tried to clarify its report via Twitter on Thursday.
ISD noted that the CNN in a tweet on November 26, 2020 tried clarifying an October 23 tweet where it exaggerated the number of people that were killed in the Lekki incident. The tweet by the CNN on 23 October read, “At least 38 people were killed in Nigeria on Tuesday when the military opened fire on peaceful protesters.”
The group said the deliberate falsehood by the news organisation has had untold effect on the country.
“For CNN to wait for over a month before issuing a clarification shows how irresponsible this globally respected news outlet has become. They contributed to the destruction and vandalisation that followed the EndSARS protests because many people fed on their fake news.
“The fake news was not only restricted to their followers on Twitter but it was shared widely on WhatsApp groups stoking fear and inciting unsuspecting Nigerians towards violence. This kind of journalism is condemnable and unfortunate, ISD stated.
