The Cable News Network (CNN) has backtracked from its earlier position that at least 38 persons were killed by the Nigerian military on Tuesday, October 20 during the EndSARS protests at Lekki Toll Gate, as many Nigerians have lambasted the news network for projecting misinformation and its inconsistent reportage on the EndSARs protests and alleged number of deaths at the Lekki Toll Gate.
It would be recalled that on October 23, the CNN Africa on its Twitter page stated categorically that, “At least 38 people were killed in Nigeria on Tuesday when the military opened fire on peaceful protesters. But the President failed to address the carnage during his speech on Thursday, drawing criticism from protesters who accuse him of failing to show empathy and unify the nation.”
The station had followed that with a broadcast that failed to substantiate its claims, as the report brought out only one person who alleged that his brother might have been killed at the Lekki Toll Gate. This was despite the fact that the CNN correspondent Nima Elbagir stated that the network spoke to hundreds of persons who were at the scene.
And, in an apparent volte-face, and to save face from the embarrassment of its flawed reportage, the CNN posted a tweet of what it called a ‘Clarification’ under the previous October 23 tweet. The Clarification stated that, “This tweet from October 23 did not attribute the death toll from protests in Nigeria to Amnesty International. The tweet also did not make it clear that the death toll was for protests across the country.”
A CNN website link posted with the Clarification tweet was a report on the protest titled, “Prison set on fire in Nigeria as protest death toll rises to at least 56.” According to the CNN report, “At least 56 people have died across Nigeria since the #EndSARS protests began on October 8, with 38 killed across the country on Tuesday alone, according to human rights group Amnesty International.”
The glaring inconsistencies in CNN reportage were not lost on Nigerians as many lambasted the News network for its ‘fake news’ on the death toll in Lekki Toll Gate.
It has since been established that there was no massacre as called by CNN and some other foreign and local news media.
Since the CNN backtracked with its tweet on Thursday, Nigerians have also lambasted the news network for its biased report that many said was not objective or balanced as professional ethics of journalism demanded.
“The Power of Misinformation! How to Fuel Conflict in Africa! @CNNAfrica original tweet which led to massive coverage on @cnni @CNN @cnnbrk @CNNnewsroom had 16.5K RT but CNN so-called “clarification” sneaked in as Nigerians slept has 629 RT. CNN can do better! Report FACTS ONLY."
- Vanguard
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