Home Latest Insights | News The Senator’s Video [Updated with Minister’s Statement]

The Senator’s Video [Updated with Minister’s Statement]

The Senator’s Video [Updated with Minister’s Statement]

Good People, let me begin by noting that I am flummoxed (time has changed, I used that word many times those days as a prefect in secondary school. Add “flabbergasted”, the junior will know that the senior knows grammar!). Yes, I have received many questions on Dino Melaye’s claim that the electromagnetic radiation from 5G is the cause of coronavirus. While you can dismiss the video, it is important to note that Dino was a senator, and has a really big followership. So, if you do not deal with this matter, companies like MTN, 9Mobile, Airtel and Glo could see their assets attacked by youth who may want to defend their lands from 5G installations!

This is all I can write here: there are many smart people on this earth that did testing and checked all the dots before approving this product for the world. And if any person thinks he can sell harmful products, there are trial lawyers that would annihilate him via class actions. My call is to default that 5G is safe because as someone who has designed electronic products, there are rigorous processes products must pass through before they are sold in the markets. Yet, that does not mean that anyone concerned about a product should not be given attention.

We need to invite the former senator to Uniabuja or Unilag or FUTO and demonstrate with 5G systems that 5G could be just safe for humans. If you fail to do that, you are essentially risking 5G infrastructures in Nigeria as some youth will take up his unfortunate challenge, to remove these disease-causing systems.

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This is a scientific challenge and our schools (sure, still on strike) should address Senator Melaye with data. Yes, no need for insult; he needs to be shown data and evidence!

Why? Some Britons went on rampage over 5G, destroying assets.

In Liverpool, a 5G tower was set on fire Friday night, Liverpool Echo reported. The paper said the attack came hours after the city mayor, Joe Anderson, slammed “bizarre” conspiracy theories that 5G was the carrier of COVID-19, a strain of coronavirus that has infected over one million people and killed over 60,000 as of April 4. “I am amazed that there are people out there who (are) saying things like this, that COVID-19 is somehow linked to 5G,” Mr Anderson said.

Meanwhile,  a statement signed by the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, on Saturday, is making it clear that Nigeria has not approved any 5G deployment in the country. This is important before our telcos suffer irreversible losses via attacks.

The statement below…

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

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;

A 3-month study trial commenced on the 25th of November, 2019 in order to critically review and study the health and security implications of deploying 5G in Nigeria;

As part of the study trial process, I directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to ensure that a team of experts, security agencies and other stakeholders fully participate in the trial process and my office also invited these agencies to participate in the trial;

The trial process has been concluded and the study and reporting process is currently ongoing.

His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, places a premium on the welfare, health and security of Nigerians. As such, our desire for technological advancement will never be at the expense of the health and welfare of our citizens.

Government will not act on speculations only, but rather we will take an informed decision on 5G after due consultation with experts and the public.

I have also directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), to engage citizens on any questions or concerns they may have regarding 5G.

I wish to thank the general public for reaching out to us on this issue. We advise you all to remain rest assured that government will always take the welfare, health and security of the public into account while considering the deployment of any technology.


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9 THOUGHTS ON The Senator’s Video [Updated with Minister’s Statement]

  1. NO SURPRISE HERE. IF THERE’S ONE THING THE NIGERIAN ELITE IS GOOD AT IT IS TAKING ‘POPULIST’ STANCE ON ISSUES THEY BARELY HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF. AS LONG AS IT TAPS INTO PUBLIC FEARS AND PREJUDICES, THEN IT’S FAIR GAME. IF IT ADDITIONALLY WHIPS UP RESENTMENT AND DISTRUST OF GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND ACTIONS THEN IT IS EVEN BETTER.
    DINO MELAYE IS NOT THE ONLY ONE PLAYING ‘THE 5G AS DYSTOPIAN FUTURE’ GAME RIGHT NOW AS AS SOME RELIGIOUS FIGURES HAVE JUMPED ON THE BANDWAGON IN A BID TO BE RELEVANT IN THESE UNCERTAIN TIMES.
    UNLIKE OTHER CONTEMPORARY SOCIETIES WHERE ELITES BAND UP DURING PERIODS OF CRISIS LIKE THE CURRENT WUHAN VIRUS PANDEMIC, THE ELITES PREFER THE USUAL ADVERSARIAL WE-VERSUS- THEM APPROACH EVEN IF IT LEADS TO THE SUFFERING OF THE CITIZENS. THE ONLY TIME THERE IS
    SOME CONSENSUS IS WHEN THEY ARE “SHARING THE NATIONAL CAKE”.

  2. I just stopped trying to explain the same issue in a group somewhere, and now I have met it here.

    It’s a lost cause trying to argue with uniformed people, you gonna go home empty handed.

    You talked about data and evidence, but again – myth is stronger than fact, and the former thrives here.

    This is another downside of the lockdown, because people are now too idle and have run out of ideas; so all manner of senseless things are now sensible.

    How many us here witnessed the hysteria of ‘killer call’ some years back? Where once you receive a call from certain number, you either have blood coming out of your ear or you faint. Yes, it was said in this land, and several years later people have even become dumber, and now this…

    One good thing about being popular or well known is that it helps to scale your stupidity and advertise it to all, everyday people don’t enjoy such ‘privilege’.

    I will be watching from my corner.

  3. “(The Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, signed the statement. He did acknowledge trials of 5G but no production deployment.)”

    According to his signed statement, the Minister opined that; “Based on available records at my office and the earlier report received from the regulator; I would like to clarify as follows: 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; A 3-month study trial commenced on November 25, 2019, in order to critically review and study the health and security implications of deploying 5G in Nigeria; As part of the study trial process, I directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to ensure that a team of experts, security agencies and other stakeholders fully participate in the trial process and my office also invited these agencies to participate in the trial;”
    .
    From his statement above, it can be deduced that February 22, 2020, was the end date of a 3-month 5G study trial. And going by today’s time – April 5, 2020, it is about a month and two weeks after the whole trial had taken place according to the Minister when he stated; “The trial process has been concluded, and the study and reporting process is currently ongoing.” What does he mean by “…the study and reporting is currently ongoing.”

    Em! Just critically thinking here: technology and indeed wireless network for that matter is not within the domain of a political boardroom or diplomatic chessboard. And here, Minister Isa Pantami accepts trials of 5G, but hurriedly said “no production deployment.” Any common sense person honestly would have doubts as per that statement. Maybe the Minister forgot his bag of truth at the point of making that statement because technically speaking, to carry out a test run or do testing of technology of that nature MUST surely be deployed (set-up) and duly interconnected for a full trial to take place. Interesting! Nigeria’s government needs to come very clean on this issue. Are they saying that they have allowed Network Operators to do a test-run (Trial Deployment) but have not officially issued a 5G Operating License to them to commence full operations(Production Deployment), meaning that the 5G installations are partially already in place(courtesy of the Trial Deployment)? And that their position is that the red tape process of getting a paper certificate with the government seal issued to Network Operators is yet to happen(Production Deployment)?

    Again, if one may ask, who did the approved three months trials of the 5G (the Network Operators or the 5G Network Vendors)? And where (location coverage) did that take place? These questions beg for an honest response to enable people to understand clearly the position of the Minister on this issue. Otherwise, it is tough for one to believe this statement of the Minister as a technology of this capacity and capability CANNOT GET TRIALS WITHOUT DEPLOYMENT irrespective of the diplomatic “production deployment” position statement of the government.

    In conclusion, people must never resort to any act of wanton destruction of these capital-intensive network assets of the operators. These assets don’t come cheap and it takes a technically sound person to distinguish between 5G and others. Besides, there are better and legitimate ways of resolving issues like this, but yes, the government still has a lot to do concerning the required due diligence and due care.

  4. Dino Melaye might be incompetent in governance (I have not paid attention to his governance): however, on this matter, he nailed it. revisit the LinkedIn page of this post and read the recent picture comment.

  5. 5G does not cause corona virus, but have an adverse effect on the human body due to the very high electromagnetic frequency (EMF) emission on living things in our environment.
    you can quote me anywhere.
    please note that America have been using it for quite a few years now not totally common to everyone anyway, but they are actually working on 6G technologies.

  6. The conspiracy theory about 5G being responsible for COVID-19 has no basis in science. That much has been proven over and over again by those who know better.

    However, there is the long existing issue of harmful radiation from electronic and digital devices/installations which has been raging on for years, even before 5G and COVID-19. A simple Google search will show you all the claims and counter-claims that have been made over the years about the suspicious harmful effects of mobile phone radiation, among others.

    The best response to all these, is to find a way to protect oneself, if possible.

    Anyone interested in radiation protection for self (to carry along as you move around), or for the home, or for corporate protection in the office, may wish to visit http://www.checedscience.com for options available in Nigeria and Africa in general.

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