The Senate has taken a step further to investigate the status of the 5G network in Nigeria as well as its impact on citizens, mandating its committees on public health, communications and science & technology, and cybercrime to lead the probe.

Just recently, it was rumored that the 5G network is one of the causes of the new coronavirus outbreak and has implications on people’s health. But the Nigerian Communications Commission cleared doubts over the network, COVID-19, and security. It also denied that the network was already deployed in the country. Since then, the Senate asked the federal government to suspend the deployment and installation of the network in the country.

The fifth-generation (5G) mobile network is a new global wireless standard after previous networks such as 1G, 2G, 3G, and 4G networks. It enables a new kind of network that is designed to connect virtually everyone and everything together including machines, objects, and devices. The technology provides the platform for new and emerging technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Big Data to improve the way we live.

According to Uche Ekwunife, the lawmaker who moved the motion for an inquiry into the network, the uncertainty on whether or not the 5G network has been launched in Nigeria will continue to fuel speculations and rumors regarding its effects on citizens.

She noted that this has triggered a lot of concerns most especially the deployment of the network in urban areas which would lead to the installment of  “a strong radiating mobile communications antenna approximately every 100 meters, producing a radiation tsunami and taking up to a 1000 fold increase in the transmission power.”

Citing an instance, Ekwunife noted that several countries including Switzerland, one of the world leaders in the roll-out of the 5G mobile technology, has placed an indefinite moratorium on its use because of its health hazards.

Simon Clarke, associate professor in cellular microbiology at the University of Reading, while reacting to the claims that the emergent of the coronavirus outbreak is related to the introduction of the 5G said the idea that the network lowers one’s immune system doesn’t stand up to scrutiny. “Your immune system can be dipped by all sorts of things – by being tired one day, or not having a good diet. Those fluctuations aren’t huge but can make you more susceptible to catching viruses.”

While very strong radio waves can cause heating, 5G is nowhere near strong enough to heat people up enough to have any meaningful effect, the professor said, adding that “Radio waves can disrupt your physiology as they heat you up, meaning your immune system can’t function. But the energy levels from 5G radio waves are tiny and they are nowhere near strong enough to affect the immune system. There have been lots of studies on this.”

As a result of this, the lawmaker urged the Senate to note the concerns by some scientists and medical experts that the emissions from the 5G towers could adversely affect the health of citizens by causing symptoms like “damage to the eyes, antibiotics resistance, as well as other physiological effects on the nervous system and the immune system.” She further expressed interest in investigating the true status of the technology in the country with a view to ensuring that Nigerian citizens are not exposed to an unreasonable risk or great bodily injury.

The World Health Organization has said after much research regarding the speculations around 5G, no adverse health effect has been causally linked with exposure to wireless technologies. Health-related conclusions are drawn from studies performed across the entire radio spectrum but, so far, only a few studies have been carried out at the frequencies to be used by 5G.

However, supporting the motion, Opeyemi Bamidele, a member of the senate said neither the Federal Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy nor the NCC, can tell the scientific step so far as regards the status of the network. 

“This motion is very timely and sensitive. Its prayer for investigation of the status of 5G Network is in order because experts must be engaged to ascertain its environmental and health harmlessness or otherwise, to Nigerians. The very reason Ministry of Communication and NCC, should not rush into its implementation at all,” he said.

By Ahmed Iyanda.