The Federal Government has initiated a thorough investigation into the root causes of the recent earth tremors that rattled the Mpape area in Abuja.
The tremors, which began on the night of September 16, 2024, alarmed residents, with reports of six to eight seismic events being recorded. The tremors, which were first detected around 11:00 p.m., led to widespread concern due to loud noises and ground shaking in the vicinity.
During a ministerial press briefing, the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Mr. Uche Nnaji, assured the public that a team of experts from the Centre for Geodesy and Geodynamics (an arm of the National Space Research and Development Agency, NASRDA) is actively analyzing the tremors using sophisticated earthquake analysis software.
According to data from seismographs, the tremors included three foreshocks and three aftershocks, with the main seismic event occurring at 11:18:37 p.m., which recorded a local magnitude of 3.1 and a focal depth of 11 km.
This significant geological disturbance, experts believe, may be attributed to the reactivation of faults within the Mpape locality, a region that has experienced similar tremors in the past, notably between September 5 and 7, 2018.
Nnaji emphasized that while these tremors have understandably caused alarm, residents should remain calm as NASRDA continues to monitor the situation closely. He also assured that the government is analyzing comprehensive data from seismic and GNSS stations to formulate mitigation strategies.
In addition to the tremors, the minister warned of imminent flood risks to southern Nigeria due to overflow from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon. The overflow, which had already affected 18,737 hectares of land by mid-September, poses significant threats to communities. He said the government is working closely with international agencies to monitor the situation and issue timely warnings.
Residents of the affected areas are encouraged to remain vigilant and follow all safety guidelines as authorities continue to investigate and respond to these natural events.
