It reads: "We apologise on our report on Lekki "Massacre" in Lagos Nigeria; almost all the information we got are false & misleading." The quote is attributed to the BBC.
Posted on the “I Stand With Buhari” page of a group of president Muhammadu Buhari’s supporters, the message has almost 200 comments, with more than 130 shares.
Some of the comments accuse the BBC of being “corrupt” and an “enemy of Nigeria”. Others point out that the BBC has dismissed the claim.
The BBC was one of several media organisations that reported on the shooting of people protesting police brutality by Nigerian army soldiers at the Lekki toll plaza.
Lagos state governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said at least two of the protesters were confirmed dead, while dozens were wounded in the shooting. But multiple news outlets have reported that at least 12 protesters were killed.
The Nigerian Army has denied involvement in the shooting despite evidence to the contrary and confirmation by the state government.
‘We were there’
Hours before the message was posted on the “I Stand With Buhari” page, BBC News Pidgin debunked the claim in a tweet.
“Fake news alert: We don see dis tori dey fly upandan for WhatsApp and Facebook, dis na fake news,” the tweet reads, in Pidgin. “BBC stand by every report wey we do about wetin happun for Lekki toll gate as we bin dey dia wen di shooting start.”
Fake news alert: We don see dis tori dey fly upandan for WhatsApp and Facebook, dis na fake news. BBC stand by every report wey we do about wetin happun for Lekki toll gate as we bin dey dia wen di shooting start.#EndSARS pic.twitter.com/te3HUfPlVC
— BBC Pidgin (@bbcnewspidgin) October 25, 2020
This translates as: “Fake news alert: We have seen this story flying up and down on WhatsApp and Facebook. This is fake news. The BBC stands by every report we did about what happened at the Lekki toll gate as we were there when the shooting started.” – Allwell Okpi
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