LEKKI SHOOTINGS; CNN retracts one of the fake news identified by PRNigeria

American news network, CNN, has withdrawn its initial report, which claimed that Army personnel killed 38 unarmed protesters at the lekki toll gate on October 20, 2020.

It was gathered that, CNN, through its official twitter handle officially backtracked its reports in a tweet which was titled ‘clarification’.

In the tweet, CNN stated that the 38 persons that were killed were not just from the lekki toll gate only, but the entire country.

According to a report made on November 18, by PRNigeria, titled ‘101 cases of fake news on #endsars protests’, the incidents of October 20, was marred with a lot of misinformation and fake news, which several media houses, both local and foreign, including CNN were found culpable.

The Editor in Chief of PRNigeria, Mr Yushau Shuaib, said that the fake news used by social media influencers and several media houses helped escalate the initial peaceful protest.

However, reacting to the retraction of the fake news by CNN, the Fact-Checking Project Coordinator at the PRNigeria Centre for Strategic Communication, Dahiru Lawal, applauded the foreign network for taking time to verify what is true and not. He also called on other media outfits, both local and foreign to do the same.

He said, “Those who made similar mistakes should come and retract because sometimes retraction enhances their credibility.”

“They should understand that retraction is an honour rather than standing on something that is not their fault.”

(Crime Channels)