The rumor started like drips, lisping through uncouth lips pushing a narrative to fulfill their quest for a scapegoat. Somehow, someone, something should get the blame for the virus that has swept through the world with a devastating impact.

In late December 2019, Chinese epidemiologists tried to figure out the origin of coronavirus, their attempt to explain where the disease sprang from got them pointing at many things, mainly animals. “It may have come from snakes,” “it may have come from bats” in the end, no animal was found guilty of the pandemic. But the world didn’t stop looking for an answer to the ‘how come’? question. Maybe it’s not animals this time; we have to look at something else.

In the past, each virus has had a known source that shared part of the stigmatization with its human victims. HIV was attributed to chimpanzees that carried Simian Immunodefiency Virus (SIV) a virus related to HIV and was believed to have been transferred to humans who hunted and ate Chimps in the 1920s.

Ebola, another virus that ripped through lives especially in Africa, was attributed to primates too and by extension, fruit bats. Most viruses are animal-borne, and coronavirus shouldn’t be different unless there is something scientists aren’t telling the rest of the world. But even if they’re hiding something, some people will find it out.

In April 2008, when NASA partnered with Geoff Brown and Machine-to-Machine Intelligence (M2Mi) Corp to develop 5G communication technology, the goal was to give the world a faster internet network that will make uploading and downloading of files 100x faster than what it was. It was never to unleash acute pneumonia that will eat through human lungs to the world economy. And to the greater number of people, the goal has not changed.

So it came astonishing when the story linking coronavirus with 5G started flying around the world. The rumor that passed through lisping lips now spreads with the virus with unimaginable speed and effect.

On Facebook, there are a number of groups campaigning for the stoppage of 5G roll outs. A popular one among them is the Stop 5G UK Group. With its more than 27,000 members, it’s pushing the theory that 5G birthed coronavirus, and it has gone beyond Facebook.

A headline of an online article reads: 5G Launches in Wuhan Weeks Before Coronavirus Outbreak. On YouTube, videos promoting the conspiracy theory were increasingly getting shared on other social media networks. In the United States, there’s a song for it supported by a misleading video showing Chinese people destroying 5G masts. (The video was originally from Hong Kong, and has nothing to do with 5G mast.)

But that was then, back in February, when the theory was still in infancy. Right now, it has taken a new dimension and communication technology may be paying dearly for it.

In the UK, 5G network masts are being set on fire. BCC reported fires at masts in Birmingham, Liverpool and Melling in Merseyside. A development that has been fueled by the circulation of videos promoting the theory that there is a link between coronavirus and 5G.

On social media, a video showing a half paralyzed tree standing close to a mast is being shared as evidence that 5G is evil, and a horde of people are swallowing it wholly, despite efforts by the health authorities to refute the claims.

“I’m absolutely outraged and disgusted that people would be taking action against the infrastructure we need to tackle this emergency,” said Stephen Powis, the UK National Health Service (NHS) director.

People are becoming emboldened daily to burn 5G masts through encouragement from social media video clips, TV interviews, Whatsapp messages and radio. A radio guest in the UK who claimed to be a nurse alleged that 5G causes coronavirus because it’s sucking the oxygen out of people’s lungs.

One question the theorists have failed to answer is why the virus is spreading even in countries where there are no 5G masts. Iran has no 5G business so far but has recorded over 55,743 coronavirus cases. African countries are not spared, as cases keep rising in each country on the daily, though they have no 5G roll outs.

A former senator in Nigeria, Dino Melayo is among those pushing the conspiracy theory, calling it evil and urging the federal government not to allow it to be rolled out in the country.

“Whether it is true or not that they are already laying cables of 5G in Nigeria. Government must not allow it in Nigeria and should take a proactive step in that regard,” Melaye said.

Earlier, he had shared a video promoting the theory through his Twitter handle. While some are disappointed that he could stoop that low, others believe the video to be true.

The discipleship of the theory is growing in minutes, creating fear among those who don’t know better. “If a senator in Nigeria should believe it, who am I”? “If a doctor/nurse should believe it in the UK, who am I”? That’s the sentiment fueling it among so many people.

The Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Pantami, in a bid to calm the fear, has issued a statement telling Nigerians that no license has been issued for 5G yet.

“The attention of my office has been drawn to the public concern about the health implications of the deployment of Fifth Generation Mobile Network (5G in Nigeria. Based on available records at my office and the earlier report received from the regulator, I would like to clarify.

“The national Frequency Management Council (NFMC), of which I am the Chairman, has not deliberated on or released any bulk frequency spectrum for the deployment of 5G. No license has been issued for the deployment of 5G in the country,” Pantami said.

What started like a joke early in the year has gone viral and is gradually becoming not only a cause for panic, but a hindrance to the fight against COVID-19. There is fear by experts that if the conspiracy theory is not contained soon, the world will wage a complicated battle against coronavirus.

The Federal Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy, in effort to ensure that governmental functions remain uninterrupted in the wake of lockdown necessitated by COVID-19, has deployed telepresence facilities around Federal Government’s offices, using Galaxy backbone (GBB), a parastatal of the Ministry.

“The Honorable Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), has earlier directed GBB to utilize its highly secure Government-wide Telepresence and Collaboration facilities, to ensure government functions continue while maintaining social distancing.

“They have complied by positioning their Telepresence and Collaboration facilities to ensure productivity, enhance security and reduce the cost of communication during this period,” a statement from the Spokesperson to the Minister, Mrs. Uwais Suleiman said.

So far, the teleconferencing terminals have been installed in over 120 Federal Government’s institutions, including the offices of the vice president, 26 ministers, 17 ministers of state, chief of staff to the president, secretary to the Government of the Federation and federal permanent secretary.

The statement noted that all relevant ministries, departments and agencies of the federal government, including the Nigerian Center for Disease Control (NCDC) have been covered.

The statement also said that the terminals are secure with end to end encryption within GBB operated government networks. And that GBB has the capacity to provide both public and private sector organizations secure and reliable telepresence services from its State-of-the-Art Unified Communication Services (UCS) platform.

As part of efforts to ensure that the country is not totally grounded, the Ministry of Communication assured Nigerians of its readiness to deploy other means of technology to every essential government and private office running during this time of coronavirus lockdown.

“In this regard, Nigerians are to be rest assured that the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy will continue to use technology to ensure that there are no interruptions in crucial government meetings. Virtual meetings will go ahead with all relevant stakeholders in a secure and reliable manner as we collectively tackle this challenge to humanity,” the statement said.

The Ministry has in the past, set up the UCS to enable all relevant stakeholders to be up and doing as lockdown appears to be the best option in curbing the spread of COVID-19 pandemic. The UCS offers virtual alternatives to physical meetings and will limit the chances of humans to contact, therefore limiting the spread of the virus.

Meanwhile, Dr. Pantami has urged Nigerians to use this period of stay-at-home to empower themselves digitally, using the newly launched Digital Nigerian Programme.

President Buhari had on the 19th March inaugurated the programme that is designed to empower innovators and entrepreneurs with skills required to thrive in the emerging digital economy.

The statement issued by DR. Pantimi during the launch of the programme outlined many areas of digital learning that will not only economically empower entrepreneurs individually, but will also add to the economic growth of the country. According to him, the programme has been launched through the partnership of many reputable digital companies including IBM.

“The Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy is partnering with a number of institutions to enable Nigerians acquire cutting edge digital skills within the comfort of their homes.

“One of such partnerships is based on the MoU signed with IBM on the 16th of January, 2020. Through this partnership and as part of the IBM Digital Nation Africa Programme, the Ministry will be providing Nigerians with over 200+ hours of free learning & 85+ courses on key courses like: Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence, Big Data and Cloud Computing.”

However, as Nigerians enroll en masse, the cost of data has remained a hindrance. Telcos and data service providers have been called upon to reduce the cost of data to enable those caught up in the lockdown to make digital use of the time.

The calls appear to have yielded no results as telecom operators can only offer free SMS to subscribers.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) has called the attention of the general public to scam messages going round in the name of the Federal Government, asking people to register through a website for 20GB free data. The Commission placed a disclaimer on the message saying the Federal has made no such offers.

“Nigerian government, in collaboration with NCC, is offering all Nigerian citizens up to 20GB of data to stay at home and get up-to-date information in a bid to counter the spread of COVID-19,” the scam message reads, asking Nigerians to follow a link embedded on the message.

The NCC’s director of public affairs Dr. Henry Nkemadu refuted it and warned Nigerians to be wary of such messages.

“The general public should discountenance the falsehood which has gained traction by the rise in tempo of its circulation. The said website is a sham and a total deception to dupe Nigerians of their hard-earned money and to harness personal data for fraudulent purposes,” he warned.