… Minister Orders NGSA Hourly Updates, Urges Residents to Remain Calm
By| Goodluck E.Adubazi, Abuja
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has recorded another earth tremor, marking the third seismic incident in a series of ground movements that have unsettled residents since 2024, prompting the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, to direct the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) to provide hourly updates on the situation.
The latest tremor, recorded on Tuesday, comes after repeated seismic activities experienced in September 2024 and a previous light tremor on August 4, 2026, reinforcing concerns over recurring earth movements in parts of the nation’s capital.
According to the NGSA Seismic Monitoring Station in Utako, the tremor occurred at exactly 11:23:27 a.m, Tuesday. August 4, 2026. It originated from a depth of one kilometre and travelled approximately four kilometres within five seconds.
The agency classified the event as a light tremor of I to II intensity on the Mercalli Intensity Scale, explaining that it was a typical surface earth tremor that poses no significant danger to lives or property.
“This poses no threat to lives and properties except for the discomfort of the shake and fear of possible destruction,” the NGSA stated.
Reacting to the development, Dr. Alake, who is currently in Washington, D.C., United States, where he is engaging American investors on joint venture opportunities in Nigeria’s solid minerals sector, directed the NGSA to submit hourly reports on seismic activities in Abuja for continuous assessment and possible escalation to other relevant government agencies.
The Minister assured residents that proactive measures had already been activated to safeguard lives and property, urging the public to remain calm and continue their normal daily activities.
He emphasized that the Federal Government would continue to prioritise public safety while relying on scientific data generated by the NGSA to guide any further intervention.
The NGSA also assured residents that it would sustain round-the-clock monitoring of the situation and issue updates whenever necessary.
Meanwhile, investigations by Standard Times Nigeria show that Abuja has witnessed several earth tremors over the years.
Standard Times Nigeria Newspaper’s Correspondent beam search light and can confirm that the historical records indicate that sporadic low-magnitude tremors were experienced in suburbs such as Mpape and Maitama between 2018 and 2019.
The most significant seismic activity occurred between September 13 and 17, 2024, when the NGSA recorded more than 50 minor earth tremors across communities including Mpape, Maitama, Gishiri, and Katampe, with over 21 tremors recorded on September 15 alone.
The latest tremor further underscores the need for sustained scientific monitoring of seismic activities in the Federal Capital Territory, even as experts insist that the recorded events remain low in magnitude and do not presently indicate any major geological threat.
