Lai Mohammed Critiques CNN Over EndSARS Coverage

Lai Mohammed, the former Minister of Information and Culture, condemned CNN for its coverage of the EndSARS protests during a high-level forum at the London School of Economics. He described the protests as a classic example of misinformation that escalated tensions and was hijacked by ulterior motives.

Mohammed asserted that the protests began as genuine expressions of grievances against police brutality but were distorted by unverified reports, particularly from CNN, which he claimed amplified tensions and shaped a global narrative that did not reflect the realities on the ground. He noted Nigeria's success in leveraging coordinated communication frameworks to achieve a public approval rate of 97-98% in its fight against insurgency.

Additionally, he referenced a groundbreaking media tour that involved 40 journalists in the northeast to counter extremist propaganda. He clarified that the suspension of Twitter during his tenure was a necessary step to curb divisive content and emphasized the need for a proactive communication strategy to bridge community gaps.