Fresh incidents of earth tremors around Mpape area, and other locations in Abuja, have residents on edge. The latest occurred yesterday, Friday, at about 5:00am.

Though Director-General of the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA), Alex Ndubuisi Nwegbu urged residents that there was no cause for alarm, many residents have been relocating after yesterday’s early morning incidents.

“Nigeria is not situated on the plate boundary, so the tendency for violent earthquakes to occur is very minimal,” he said.

Despite the reassurance, Mpape residents continue to relocate to other places out of fear.

The latest, yesterday, in the wee hours of the morning, were also felt at nearby Lungi Barracks, which houses the 7 Guards Brigade of the Nigerian Army, where even wall clocks and photo frames fell off walls during what residents described as “violent shaking”.

Reports say the tremors first occurred on Wednesday at about 4pm.

A resident, Austin Ujah, said the some of his neighbours have already left their houses to squat with friends in other parts of the city. Another resident, Mrs Iyabo Murtala, said the reoccurrence of the tremors led to confusion on her street. She said her neighbours have left the area to seek refuge with relatives in the city.

Another resident, Joyce Peters, said she had to run out, because the vibration on Friday shook the house to its foundation.

Also, the Chairman of Berger Quarry Residents Association, who identified himself only as Friday E., said this was the first time such tremors would occur in the area.

Friday, who has been staying in the area for over 16 years, said some residents attributed the tremor to a myth that the rocks are angry.

NGSA boss, Nwegbu, said the agency has deployed experts to the field to collect more data including random gas emission and water to determine the true cause of this phenomenon, adding that the report would be made public at the end of the investigation.

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