The Federal Government has stepped up monitoring of seismic activity in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) after a mild earth tremor affected parts of Abuja, with the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, directing the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) to provide him with hourly updates.
The directive followed an alert from the NGSA confirming that an earth tremor was recorded on Tuesday, prompting authorities to intensify surveillance while assuring residents there was no immediate cause for concern.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the minister’s Special Assistant on Media, Lara Owoeye-Wise, Alake urged residents to remain calm and continue their normal activities, stressing that the government had activated measures to protect lives and property.
The minister, who is currently in Washington, D.C., holding talks with American investors on mining joint ventures, said relevant agencies were closely monitoring the situation across affected areas.
“Residents should go about their lawful activities without anxiety. Necessary measures have been deployed to ensure public safety,” Alake said.
He directed the NGSA to submit hourly situation reports directly to him to enable continuous assessment and, where necessary, prompt escalation to relevant authorities.
Alake also assured residents that the agency would sustain surveillance of seismic activity and provide timely updates as events unfold.
According to the NGSA, its Seismic Monitoring Station in Utako detected the tremor at exactly 11:23:27 a.m. on Tuesday.
The agency said the seismic event originated at a depth of one kilometre and travelled approximately four kilometres within five seconds.
It classified the tremor as a light seismic event, with an intensity of between I and II on the Mercalli scale, indicating minimal ground shaking.
The NGSA said available data showed there was no immediate threat to public safety but emphasised the importance of continued monitoring and public awareness.
The latest development has drawn renewed attention to Nigeria’s seismic monitoring capacity, with authorities pledging sustained vigilance and swift response to any emerging risks.
