Residents of Maitama, Katampe, Mpape, and surrounding areas in Abuja have raised concerns over recurring earth tremors that have persisted since last weekend, Okay.ng reports.
The tremors, which have caused widespread anxiety, were most notably felt between 11:00 p.m. and 11:20 p.m. on Monday.
Earth tremors, minor movements of the Earth’s surface triggered by the same forces that cause earthquakes, were previously reported in the capital in September 2018, with a recorded magnitude of 3.2 around Mpape. However, residents report that the current tremors, which began on Saturday, have continued intermittently, causing disruptions in several neighborhoods.
Local residents have taken to social media to express their concerns and seek clarification from authorities. Shola Adesoye, a resident of Maitama, described the tremors as unsettling and questioned why no official communication has been issued by the National Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) or other relevant bodies.
“This is incredible. No news from our National Geological survey centre,” Adesoye posted on social media.
Tunde Dinero, another resident, voiced similar concerns, stating that the tremors have worsened at night, disrupting the sleep of those in the affected areas. He also pointed out the silence from the Federal Ministry of Environment, which oversees responses to natural occurrences like this.
Following the 2018 tremors, experts and the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) had ruled out the possibility of serious earthquakes. In response to that incident, the NGSA installed four Guralp 3ESPC seismographs for real-time earthquake monitoring in December 2019.
Despite the increased monitoring, no official statement has been released by either the NGSA or the Federal Ministry of Environment as of the time of this report