Earth Tremor: Investigation Already Underway – Nigerian Govt Confirms

The Nigerian government has announced the commencement of a comprehensive investigation into the recent earth tremors that have alarmed residents in Mpape, a suburb of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The tremors, which began on the night of September 16, 2024, were first detected around 11:00 pm and included six to eight seismic events. These events caused widespread concern due to loud noises and ground shaking.

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 examining 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 pm, recording a local magnitude of 3.1 and a focal depth of 11 km.

Experts believe this major geological disturbance 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.