The Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) has addressed concerns regarding recent earth tremors in the Federal Capital Territory, reassuring residents that there is no cause for alarm.
In a statement released on Wednesday, NGSA Director-General Professor Olusegun Ige reported that the agency has been closely monitoring the tremors, which have been assessed as low in intensity and not a threat to public safety or the environment.
The agency noted that between September 13 and September 16, approximately 48 distinct seismic events were recorded, with both frequency and intensity increasing over this period.
Specifically, on September 13, only one mild tremor was noted, while six events occurred on the following day. The 15th saw a significant spike with over 21 recorded tremors, and more than twenty additional events were noted on September 16.
Professor Ige elaborated that the NGSA Monitoring Station at Katampe has detected several notable ground motions with high moment magnitudes during this five-day period.
He emphasized that preliminary analyses indicate these seismic activities originated from sources located less than 5 kilometers from the monitoring station.
The statement further detailed that the tremors are attributed to accumulated stress along identified geological faults, resulting in the release of seismic energy that affected areas around the Federal Capital Territory.
Most of the epicenters are situated northeast of the NGSA-5 Seismic Station near Mpape, with some located southwest around Katampe.
According to the Modified Mercalli Scale, the intensity of these tremors ranges from weak to light (III-IV), posing a very low-level threat to residents. Areas such as Mpape, Katampe, and Maitama have been advised to remain calm, as these tremors are classified as low-risk events.
