The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and Minister
of Communications and Digital Economy Dr Isa Patanmi have disagreed
on the suitability of the 5th Generation (5G) technology in
Nigeria.
![image](/2020/10/lawreport.jpg")
ONSA warned of grave national security risks potentially
associated with the wrongful use of the technology equipment for
telecommunications services in the country.
![image](/2021/01/payne-alex.jpg")
But Minister of Communications and Digital Economy Dr. Isa Ali
Pantami dismissed fears of harmful effects of the technology in
Nigeria and other countries.
Pantami said the Federal Government is satisfied with results of
trials conducted so far, adding the 5G technology is safe and
devoid of any negative impact on human health.
The Minister said the country is waiting for President Muhammadu
Buhari to approve a national policy on the technology before full
deployment.
The Director Communications in the Office of the National
Security Adviser, Dr Bala Fakandu and Pantami made these assertions
in their presentations during a one day investigative public
hearing on: “Present status of 5th generation (5G) network in
Nigeria and its technological impact on Nigeria citizens”by the
Senate Joint Committee on Communications, Science & Technology, ICT
& Cyber Crimes, and Primary Health Care & Communicable Diseases, in
Abuja.
Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Chairman Senate Committee on
Communications, chaired the Joint Committee.
Fakandu said the NSA is worried the 5G technology infrastructure
will be highly susceptible to “eavesdropping, tracking,
cyber-attacks, military and industrial espionage and other
malicious activities by foreign actors.”
He said: “I am going to talk about the National Security
concerns. We are aware that the deployment of 5G will come with
different types of equipment and so we understand that the
stakeholders in the telecommunications industry will make effort to
ensure that they upgrade their systems in order to meet up with the
new technology.
“But we are concerned about the deliberate vulnerabilities and
backdoors within the 5G network equipment. That is one of the key
concerns we have and this will make the infrastructure highly
susceptible to eavesdropping, tracking, cyber-attacks, military and
industrial espionage and other malicious activities by foreign
actors.
“We understand these are things that will be put in place
particularly in the policy the Minister has talked about but I need
to emphasise it so that the stakeholders in the telecommunications
industry will understand where we are coming from because the
national security concerns is the concern of the Office of the
National Security Adviser and of the President as well.
“We urge the Minister to carry the Office of the NSA along in
the development of the policy so that we could have a robust
framework to take care of these areas.”
Pantami said that he had personally tried the technology to
ensure that if there was going to be a victim, he would be the one
affected.
He noted that so far no negative impact has been established
from the research and trial carried out both at the local and the
international level.
“There is no link between 5G and COVID-19. And there is no
relationship between 5G and any disease. The only issue being
raised usually is about radiation.
“But people don’t realise that the radiation of 4G is more
harmful than that of 5G. The radiation of microwave oven at home is
more harmful than that of the 5G. The radiation of even the smart
phone itself is even more harmful than that of the 5G.”
He added: “As we were studying the technology, International
bodies like ITU and WHO were also studying it.
“On the 25th September 2019, we conducted the first trial of 5G
in Nigeria. In order to demonstrate trust and prove leadership by
example, I personally pledged to make a trial so if there is any
security implication or medical implication, then Isa would be
number one victim.
“And if there is any relationship with COVID-19, I will be the
first victim. To date I have not contracted the virus. And I did a
test up to 10 times. So I did the trial personally.
“Mr President is very much aware of all these stages from the
beginning to where we stopped.”
The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and Minister
of Communications and Digital Economy Dr Isa Patanmi have disagreed
on the suitability of the 5th Generation (5G) technology in
Nigeria.
ONSA warned of grave national security risks potentially
associated with the wrongful use of the technology equipment for
telecommunications services in the country.
But Minister of Communications and Digital Economy Dr. Isa Ali
Pantami dismissed fears of harmful effects of the technology in
Nigeria and other countries.
Pantami said the Federal Government is satisfied with results of
trials conducted so far, adding the 5G technology is safe and
devoid of any negative impact on human health.
The Minister said the country is waiting for President Muhammadu
Buhari to approve a national policy on the technology before full
deployment.
The Director Communications in the Office of the National
Security Adviser, Dr Bala Fakandu and Pantami made these assertions
in their presentations during a one day investigative public
hearing on: “Present status of 5th generation (5G) network in
Nigeria and its technological impact on Nigeria citizens”by the
Senate Joint Committee on Communications, Science & Technology, ICT
& Cyber Crimes, and Primary Health Care & Communicable Diseases, in
Abuja.
Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Chairman Senate Committee on
Communications, chaired the Joint Committee.
Fakandu said the NSA is worried the 5G technology infrastructure
will be highly susceptible to “eavesdropping, tracking,
cyber-attacks, military and industrial espionage and other
malicious activities by foreign actors.”
He said: “I am going to talk about the National Security
concerns. We are aware that the deployment of 5G will come with
different types of equipment and so we understand that the
stakeholders in the telecommunications industry will make effort to
ensure that they upgrade their systems in order to meet up with the
new technology.
“But we are concerned about the deliberate vulnerabilities and
backdoors within the 5G network equipment. That is one of the key
concerns we have and this will make the infrastructure highly
susceptible to eavesdropping, tracking, cyber-attacks, military and
industrial espionage and other malicious activities by foreign
actors.
“We understand these are things that will be put in place
particularly in the policy the Minister has talked about but I need
to emphasise it so that the stakeholders in the telecommunications
industry will understand where we are coming from because the
national security concerns is the concern of the Office of the
National Security Adviser and of the President as well.
“We urge the Minister to carry the Office of the NSA along in
the development of the policy so that we could have a robust
framework to take care of these areas.”
Pantami said that he had personally tried the technology to
ensure that if there was going to be a victim, he would be the one
affected.
He noted that so far no negative impact has been established
from the research and trial carried out both at the local and the
international level.
“There is no link between 5G and COVID-19. And there is no
relationship between 5G and any disease. The only issue being
raised usually is about radiation.
“But people don’t realise that the radiation of 4G is more
harmful than that of 5G. The radiation of microwave oven at home is
more harmful than that of the 5G. The radiation of even the smart
phone itself is even more harmful than that of the 5G.”
He added: “As we were studying the technology, International
bodies like ITU and WHO were also studying it.
“On the 25th September 2019, we conducted the first trial of 5G
in Nigeria. In order to demonstrate trust and prove leadership by
example, I personally pledged to make a trial so if there is any
security implication or medical implication, then Isa would be
number one victim.
“And if there is any relationship with COVID-19, I will be the
first victim. To date I have not contracted the virus. And I did a
test up to 10 times. So I did the trial personally.
“Mr President is very much aware of all these stages from the
beginning to where we stopped.”