Being response by Mark Nelson, CNN Vice President in response to The Nigerian Leadership Council ( USA)
c/o Chief Temitope Ajayi
Forwarded by Nigerian Democratic Movement

ONE CNN CENTER , Atlanta, GA 30303-2762

Dear Chief Ajayi,

Rick Davis and Andy Segal have given me your letter of June 10, 2006 . We appreciate your comments on "How to Rob a Bank."

As the senior executive producer who oversaw the production, please allow me to respond.

First and foremost, I assure you our program was not produced in bad faith. As you know, identity theft is a growing problem. While banks and credit card companies bear most of the losses, the average citizen spends 40 hours cleaning up the mess. Ultimately, the cost of this fraud is passed on to consumers.

Several fraudsters in our program are American. The Nigerians fraudsters were described as being part of "the underside of Houston's Nigerian community" -- not part of the mainstream.

In fact, in describing Houston's Nigerian community, we stated that:

• "More than two-thirds are college graduates. A higher rate than their white neighbors. "
• "Among the elite: A vascular surgeon. Two married professors. A chemical engineer. And airline pilot Isaac Agbaniyaka."
• Captain Agbaniyaka said: The United States is "a place where you can come and put in honest work and progress."
• He also said: "The well-educated Nigerians: they do honest jobs, even if it means doing menial jobs to survive.

It was clear to viewers that honest, hard-working Nigerians condemn what the fraudsters are doing. Nonetheless, I understand that comments in our program made by the convicted fraudster, Mr. Anthony Olubunmi Bonojo, who opined that 40% of Nigerians in the US are involved with fraud, may have been misconstrued. We regret any mistaken impressions that may have caused. Mr. Bonojo was stating his opinion - based on his experience with other Nigerians who have committed similar crimes. However, in future broadcasts of "How to Rob a Bank," we intend to remove certain comments to eliminate any possible confusion.

CNN is the only U.S. television network to maintain a bureau in Lagos . We pride ourselves on our worldwide reach and our commitment to cover news anywhere. We strive to be the best in our business and in that spirit; I hope you will continue to share your thoughts on our coverage.

 
Signed

Mark Nelson

Vice President & Senior Executive Producer

CNN Productions

Robot  Villager

# 1 ...Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 28.06.2006 16:56

I Love Nigeria  Villager

# 2 It was clear to viewers that honest, hard-working Nigerians condemn what the fraudsters are doing. Nonetheless, I understand that comments in our program made by the convicted fraudster, Mr. Anthony Olubunmi Bonojo, who opined that 40% of Nigerians in the US are involved with fraud, may have been misconstrued. We regret any mistaken impressions that may have caused. Mr. Bonojo was stating his opinion - based on his experience with other Nigerians who have committed similar crimes. However, in future broadcasts of "How to Rob a Bank," we intend to remove certain comments to eliminate any possible confusion. CNN's response is not TOO BAD! I could have even been better..... but at least, CNN is responsive. Posted by I Love Nigeria| 28.06.2006 17:05

Onos  Villager

# 3 Nonetheless, I understand that comments in our program made by the convicted fraudster, Mr. Anthony Olubunmi Bonojo, who opined that 40% of Nigerians in the US are involved with fraud, may have been misconstrued. We regret any mistaken impressions that may have caused. Mr. Bonojo was stating his opinion - based on his experience with other Nigerians who have committed similar crimes. Honestly, I never sat down to fully watch that documentary but I'm inclined to throw out this question to the people who did watched it and who have been championing the 40% mantra. Was the statement (i.e. 40% Nigerians in Houston being fraudsters) made or insinuated by a CNN correspondent(s) or made directly by that thief Anthony Bonojo as asserted by Mark Nelson? Is Mark Nelson lying/wiggling his ass away from a libel suit or is Bonojo's case the same as those of a drowning man desperately trying to clutch at straw and drag everybody down with him? Posted by Onos| 28.06.2006 17:12

Fjord  Villager

# 4 Even if a convicted fraudster made the 40% claim, the CNN crew should've known better than airing such nonsense. Bad news sells, and they do know that the 40% comment will remain in the minds of their viewers. Probably not bad faith, but a tad more than mildly irresponsible reporting. . Posted by Fjord| 28.06.2006 17:25

Nkire  Villager

# 5 Onos: The simple answer to your question is that it was the stupid thief Bonojo that made the 40% comment. I watched the program and thought that obviously the guy was exaggerating. It is unfortunate that the CNN reporter did not challenge him on the source and veracity of his assertion. If he is so certain about the incidence of such high degree of criminality amongst Nigerians in Houston, one would have expected that he would have cooperated with the authorities in identifying the culprits to gain his freedom. I don't live in Houston or Texas for that matter, however, any sane person would surmise that if 40% of Nigerians in Houston were arrested at anytime since the 1980s, it would have made national headlines given the large population of Nigerians in that city. Obviously no such mass arrest of Nigeria occurred, further buttressing the fact that the Obonjo of a rogue is a habitual liar. Essentially, it is what happens when an uniformed, ill-educated moron starts quoting or making statistical inferences. Remember what Jimmy Cliff said in one of his famous tracks, "A drowning man will catch the straws....." The roguish Bonojo was doing exactly that and trying to convince himself that everyone else (Nigerians, that is) is just as bad as he is. In any event, since we are all here as visitors and refugees, it is our fate to eat the banana. This is inferred from an Igbo adage that says that it is the traveler (wanderer) that eats the rotten and overripe plantain and/or banana. Posted by Nkire| 28.06.2006 17:44

I Love Nigeria  Villager

# 6 Onos, The unsavory assertions were made by the Nigerian/African felon... My gripe was that... CNN published unverified, non-empirical data....using a fraudster as its sole source! Who made the fraudster an expert on Nigerians? AND, what reputable media house relies on felons/ex-convicts as source of information.... not corroborated by the PoliceLaw Enforcements/US Census or such other relevant authorities? Posted by I Love Nigeria| 28.06.2006 17:51

admin_old  Villager

# 7 Set your VCR to record the CNN Presents Classroom Edition: Identity Theft: How to Rob a Bank when it airs commercial-free on Monday, July 10, 2006 from 4:00-- 5:00 a.m. ET on CNN. (A short feature begins at 4:00 a.m. and precedes the program.) http://www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/05/15/cnnpce.identity.theft/index.html Lets see if they remove the comments Posted by admin_old| 28.06.2006 17:55

Onos  Villager

# 8 Thanks guys for the clarification. I have a friend who works as an IT Security Manager in a reputable bank and he's been worried sick about how damaging that documentary could be to his career. I hope that CNN correspondent(s) will include in the edited version that those 40% statement as asserted by that fool, Bonojo, are his and only his and definitely not an accurate statistical representation of Nigerians in Houston. And then show that version over and over like they did the first version. I'll try to watch the edited version when it airs on Monday. Posted by Onos| 28.06.2006 18:33

EezeeBee  Villager

# 9 My initial comments on this response from CNN. Several fraudsters in our program are American. There were two (2) Americans tracked and whose crimes were described to any real extent. Of course they had accomplices but if that is what the chief editor is saying, so did each of the Nigerians described so it cancels out. The Nigerians fraudsters were described as being part of "the underside of Houston's Nigerian community" -- not part of the mainstream. They have got to be kidding! 30 minutes focused on Nigerians involved with identity theft, as opposed to a program about identity theft in general, with 2 token Americans and the Senior Producer says they were talking about a 'minor' (i.e. underside) component? Talking of which, when will there be a program on the 'mainstream' of crime in Houston which should surely include companies like Enron? I'll eat my hat if during such a program, each reference to the people involved (like Ken Lay) is preceded or followed by "A Texan", or "An American..." Why? Because his criminality has nothing to do with his nationality. Unless that is what you want to focus on! Hmmm... Nonetheless, I understand that comments in our program made by the convicted fraudster, Mr. Anthony Olubunmi Bonojo, who opined that 40% of Nigerians in the US are involved with fraud, may have been misconstrued. We regret any mistaken impressions that may have caused. Mr. Bonojo was stating his opinion - based on his experience with other Nigerians who have committed similar crimes. However, in future broadcasts of "How to Rob a Bank," we intend to remove certain comments to eliminate any possible confusion. How can that comment by Bonojo be misconstrued? What part of "40% of Nigerians in the US are involved with fraud" is difficult to comprehend. Or is it because we are Africans that we cannot understand English again? :biggrin: Lastly, how did a Senior Producer decide that the best witness to make a broad statement like that would be a criminal? Let me ask the lawyers amongst us: Aren't cases thrown out of court once the character of the witness is questionable? Posted by EezeeBee| 28.06.2006 18:49

I Love Nigeria  Villager

# 10 Eezeebee wrote the following words I'll eat my hat if during such a program, each reference to the people involved (like Ken Lay) is preceded or followed by "A Texan", or "An American..." Why? Because his criminality has nothing to do with his nationality. Unless that is what you want to focus on! Hmmm... The same American Press actually glorified the late John Gotti by referring to him in glamorous terms, such as the teflon Don, the Dapper Don, the invincible Don etc! How come so many Nigerians missed this point..... about what CNN had done? And what the Western Press generally do with Nigerian/African issues, stories and events? YES Eezeebee, CNN gave credibility to a felon, made him an expert and consultant on Nigeria! Imagine that! I wish say a billion times more.... Virtues and vices are global atributes.... no nationality is required... Posted by I Love Nigeria| 28.06.2006 19:37

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