COVID-19: Senate probes 5G network in Nigeria

The Senate on Tuesday resolved to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the status of the Fifth Generation Network in Nigeria and its technological impact on the citizens.

The resolutions followed a motion by Senator Uche Lilian Ekwunife (Anambra Central) titled “The present status of 5th Generation (5G) Network in Nigeria”.

Ekwunife, in her lead debate, expressed concern over the alleged recurrent health hazards associated with technological advancements such as 5G network.

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“For the deployment of 5G network in urban areas, the providers have to install a strong radiating mobile communications antenna approximately every 100 meters, producing what has been described as a ‘radiation tsunami’ and taking up to a 1000-fold increase in the transmission power,” she said.

The lawmaker said several countries had placed an indefinite moratorium on the use of 5G network because of health concerns.

She said investigating the true status of 5G network in Nigeria was to ensure that Nigerian citizens are not exposed to an unreasonable risk of great bodily injury or harm.

The Red Chamber, therefore, directed its committees on Communications, Science & Technology, ICT & Cyber Crimes to carry out the probe and report back to the plenary after four weeks.

Since the spread of coronavirus across the world, there have been several theories on the virus’s relationship with 5G network with several people, including a top Nigerian preacher, believing that the network is playing a significant role in the spread of the novel virus.

Following arson attacks on some of the network’s mast in some parts of the United Kingdom, microblogging site, Twitter, announced new security measures to among other things, take down comments inciting “harmful activity,” specifically calls to destroy wireless equipment stemming from a conspiracy theory that linked 5G to the coronavirus.

Nigeria’s government as well as information technology and medical experts have also had to put out statements to affirm that there’s no evidence that it causes coronavirus and transmits diseases.