UPDATE 2-Nigeria should sanction CNN for report on shooting of protesters -minister

© Reuters.

(Adds CNN's comment, UK parliament to debate on sanction)
By Felix Onuah
ABUJA, Nov 19 (Reuters) - Nigeria should sanction CNN for a
report that the country's military shot and killed protesters
demonstrating against police brutality, a minister said on
Thursday, but the U.S. channel defended its reporting.
The U.S. broadcaster used "unverified and possibly doctored
videos" and "information from questionable sources" in the
report, information minister Lai Mohammed told a news conference
in Abuja.
When asked, Mohammed did not specify how the government
might sanction CNN. He said he believes the broadcaster has
internal systems for dealing with erring staff, and that
Nigerian authorities would also do what was necessary.
A CNN spokesperson said "Our reporting was carefully and
meticulously researched, and we stand by it."
Thousands of Nigerians took to the streets to protest
against the police Special Anti-Robbery Squad, which the
demonstrators blame for killings, torture and extortion.
Though the protests were initially peaceful, demonstrators
in an upmarket Lagos district were shot at on Oct. 20 by men
witnesses said were soldiers. Rights group Amnesty international
said 12 protesters were killed. The army denied involvement.
The British parliament will on Monday debate imposing
sanctions "on members of the Nigerian government and police
force involved in any human rights abuses by the Nigerian
police," after a public petition gathered enough signatures for
lawmakers to debate the move.
In response to the petition, the British government said:
"We were concerned by violence during recent protests and await
the outcome of Nigerian investigations into reports of police
brutality. We do not publicly speculate on future sanctions
designations."
Nigeria fined three television stations over their reporting
of the protests, Mohammed said, adding that the government
wanted to check a trend in which media houses use materials
obtained on social media without verification.
He said the government had no plans to shut down social
media but he was advocating regulation of its use.