The federal government has said it is monitoring and analysing earth movement in and around Abuja to forestall any further earth tremor in the federal capital territory.
The Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology, Uche Nnaji, who disclosed this at an emergency press briefing in Abuja, yesterday, said the government would soon implement measures to mitigate the seismic risks.
Over the past week, a series of earth tremors have been reported in some parts of the Maitama, Katampe, and Mpape areas, causing concern among residents.
Tremors are small, mild shaking or vibrations of the ground, often caused by minor movements in the earth’s crust.
It could be recalled that Mpape experienced a similar sequence of earth tremors from September 5 to 7, 2018, which drew significant local and international attention to Nigeria’s increasing seismic activity.
The recent tremors were accompanied by loud noises and ground shaking, causing widespread alarm among residents.
The minister said “The government is currently processing and analysing comprehensive datasets from its Seismological and GNSS stations to provide relevant recommendations to the FCT Administration.
“We urge the residents of Mpape, and by extension the wider Abuja area, to remain calm and continue their normal activities,” Nnaji said.
Also, the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) has urged residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to remain calm.
NGSA Director General, Prof. Olusegun Ige, made the call in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.
He urged the residents of the affected areas and other parts where the tremors were felt not to panic, as the tremors were generally minor and did not pose any threat to the environment.
He said the agency was closely monitoring the situation across Nigeria and would provide updates as required.
The NGSA boss stated that a team from the agency had visited the affected areas for an on-the-spot assessment of the various incidents. (NAN)