Residents of Abuja communities raise alarm over ‘consistent’ tremors, vibration

Published By: Ayorinde Oluokun

By Aderogba George

Some residents of Abuja living at Mpape in Bwari Area Council have cried out to the government and the Nigeria Geological Agency over suspected tremor and vibration they have been experiencing in their area in the past few days.

The resident said the suspected tremor and vibration in have thrown them into panic.

While confirming the development, Dr Ebenezer Adebisi, the Chairman, Mpape Hills Landlord Association said the residents had been experiencing the vibration in the last five days.

Adebisi, who is a retired Corps Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), said that was not the first time the resident of the area were having such experience.

He said although it happened some years ago, it had become more consistent in the past five days.

According to him, residents of the area felt the tremor and vibration were more than the usual ones they experience during the blasting of rocks in the area by quarry companies.

He said the vibration was more intense throughout Sunday and Monday night, adding that the, “we don’t really know what would have caused the vibration.

“I have also confirmed that those in Gwarinpa and Katampe areas are also experiencing the same thing, but the government has not said anything officially up till now.

“It is important we let Nigerians know the situation now; we are calling on the Nigerian government and the Nigeria Geological Agency to come to the rescue of the resident.

He said urgent measures needed to be taken before things got out of hand, urging the government to advise the residents on the next line of action.

Mrs Florence Ilesanmi, a resident of Gwari Village, Mpape also told NAN that she had been experiencing the same thing.

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Madam Aisha Lawal, a resident at the Crushrock area of Mpape shared a similar experience with NAN, saying that the interval of the vibration was a source of worry.

An official Nigerian Geological Survey Agency who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he not authorised to do so urged the residents to consider temporary relocation if the tremor continued.

The official told one of the residents that who contacted him that they residents should continue to record the frequency of the vibration.

“I `googled` the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA). They told me I should be recording anytime the vibration occurred again.

“I was able to speak with one of the officers of the agency, who confirmed that all their equipment are already on ground to forestall any emergency.

“They said if the vibration is heavy we should try and evacuate from the premises for now.

Recall that the NGSA had on January 2020 confirmed that there was an earth tremor in Bwari Area of FCT.
An official of the agency confirmed that there was vibration in the area, but no visible crack after a visit to the area.

“We found out that there was a little tremor recorded by our equipment dated January 12, 2020 and it occurred around 5.20 p.m.

“On that basis, we mobilised and went to the locality in Bwari Area Council of the FCT.

“Certainly, the people in the area were agitated, but the tremor was mild, it did not affect their structures, we were able to look at the geology of the structure.

“We will look at the geology of the structure with other geologists to see what really happened geologically,” he said.