Following the earth tremor in Mpape, Gwarimpa and Garki districts of Abuja, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, has directed the suspension of further quarrying and mining activities and borehole drilling in the affected these areas, pending the outcome of investigations on the root causes of the incidents.
The Minister who gave this order when he paid an on-the-spot visit to Mpape, the epicentre of reported incident of earth tremor in parts of Abuja recently, said that Preliminary reports indicate that the activities of rock blasting from quarrying, mining activities, as well as proliferation of borehole drilling were the likely causes of these tremors. Consequently, he stressed, it became necessary to suspend all quarrying activities in various sites of Abuja, especially Mpape, Garki, Gwarimpa and contiguous areas.
Speakin, on behalf of the Minister, the FCT Permanent Secretary, Chinyeaka Ohaa, assured residents of the areas that geological experts have given hope that Abuja was not on the line of any major seismic danger.
Musa Bello asked residents to go about their normal businesses as his Administration is engaging both local and international geological experts to unravel the root causes of the tremors.
Meanwhile the District Head of Mpape, Malam Abubakar Ibrahim Gimba as well as the Chairman of Mpape Residents Associations, Ameh Christian have recounted the experience of the tremors.
They thanked the FCT Administration for its prompt response to the incident while acknowledging the presence of the FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
