7th April, 2020
The Federal Government has described comment made by founder of Christ Embassy, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome that the lockdown of Lagos and Abuja was to allow government secretly install 5G and not for Coronavirus, as disheartening.
Oyakhilome had in a TV interview said “5G is the reason the Federal Government has to lockdown Abuja and Lagos so the 5G could be installed. And there are other cities planned for and as I said before, what killed people in Wuhan, China is not the virus, it was the 5G. If you say it is not, tell us how you discovered yours.”
But the National Orientation Agency, NOA, berated Pastor Oyakhilome for his comment, saying it was unfortunate.
NOA’s spokesman, Paul Ogenyi said Oyakhilome’s claim that the lockdown ordered by the Federal Government in Lagos and Abuja was a mere ruse to lay fibre optic cables in preparation for the launch of 5G technology, was disheartening.
Ogenyi told The PUNCH that it was disheartening that while Pope Francis and other respected clerics worldwide were educating their followers on measures to fight COVID-19, Oyakhilome and his ilk were spreading speculations thereby misinforming the public.
“It is very unfortunate that in this sensitive time some of our religious leaders are beginning to behave like they are uninformed. The Vatican has issued a directive that there should be no gatherings. The same has happened in Saudi Arabia.
“Nigeria has witnessed five deaths and many infections. So, I appeal to religious leaders to seek information if they are not sure of the facts.
“I am actually surprised that Pastor Oyakhilome is making this statement despite repeated clarifications by the Nigerian Communications Commission that 5G has nothing to do with coronavirus.
“Is he saying the lockdown in the US and China is also because they want to lay 5G cables? If that is what he said then he is not informed and he needs to be educated. Nigeria needs to come together to fight this pandemic. It is real and we must fight it. If this kind of information continues to be disseminated, we will be the worse for it,” he lamented.