The Federal Government has knocked CNN and rights group Amnesty International for continuing “to shamelessly hold on to their unproven stand” that security forces shot at #EndSARS protesters at Lekki toll gate, Lagos on October 20, 2020.
Minister of information and culture Lai Mohammed stated this on Wednesday at a conference in Abuja as #EndSARS campaigners calling for an end to police brutality mark one year anniversary of the incident.
“Sadly, the champions of a massacre at the Lekki Toll Gate, including Amnesty International and CNN, have continued to shamelessly hold on to their unproven stand. Recall, gentlemen, that after bandying different figures, Amnesty International finally settled at about 12 people killed. On its part, CNN went from 38 people killed to two to just one, after a supposed global exclusive even when the network had no reporter on ground at the Lekki tollgate on Oct. 20th 2020,” Mohammed said.
The minister said CNN failed to show up to prove its allegation before the judicial panel of inquiry that was set up by the Lagos State Government after the protest.
Mohammed further said the testimony of ballistic experts before the judicial panel of inquiry in Lagos “contradicts the tales by the moonlight by Amnesty International, CNN, a runaway DJ and their ilk.” The minister was referring to DJ Switch who said she was present on the day of the alleged shooting at the toll gate.
He said Amnesty International, CNN and DJ Switch should apologise for “misleading the world that there was a massacre at the Lekki Tollgate and for portraying the Nigerian military, police and other security agencies in bad light.”
