NEMA expresses doubt over cause of Abuja earth tremor

…Advises communities in Niger, Kwara to shun river banks
Few days after some Abuja residence experienced earth tremor in areas such as Mpape, Maitama, Gwarinpa and Kubwa, the FCT National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Agency (FEMA) has expressed uncertainty over the cause.

The Director-General of NEMA, Mr Idris Abass, said on Tuesday in Abuja, that the agency was yet to establish whether it was man-made or natural.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has advised communities in Niger and Kwara, living on downstream of Shiroro, Kainji and Jebba Dams to stay away from river banks.

In another development, NEMA Operational Head in charge of Niger and Kwara, Alhaji Aliyu Kafindangi, gave the advice in Minna on Tuesday.

He however said that if it was a natural phenomenon, nothing would stop it because it could only stop on its own.

Abass said “Like the information we earlier passed, it only happened for a while and stopped, but today we are happy to report that there is no case of the tremor again.’’

The D-G said that it had not been established whether the tremor was man-made or natural, stressing that if it was natural, it was bound to happen again after 12 years.

“If it is caused by the activities of those who are blasting and drilling boreholes around the areas, it can also reoccur,” he said.

Abass however said that the activities of the drillers had since been stopped, adding that if it was man-made it should not reoccur until their activities returned.

The NEMA Operational Head in charge of Niger and Kwara, Alhaji Aliyu Kafindangi said that the warning became necessary as a result of consistent rise in the water levels on the Niger and Benue which he said could cause more spillage of water from the dams.

Kafindangi said the warning followed the recent flood alert by the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) indicating that all indices before the release of water from Lagdo Dam that caused the 2012 flood in kogi and other states of the federation had manifested.

‘‘This time it is in a higher magnitude.

“NIHSA has warned that some parts of the country, including some states in the North would continue to experience down pour.

“Niger and Kwara are among the 12 states identified by NIHSA to experience flood based on their projections and these two states are within our jurisdiction,” he said.

The head of operation mentioned the communities to include: Gurmana, Galadima Logo, Beri, Bida, Elogi, Mokwa, Borgu, New Bussa in Niger.

He said communities such as Patigi, and Lafiagi in Kwara would possibly be affected as well as other communities downstream of Jebba and Kainji Dams.

Kafindangi also advised the communities to restrict children and other members from swimming and fishing on the rivers.

He also said that the agency would meet on Wednesday with stakeholders in disaster management to proffer ways to reduce effects of flood disasters.

Kafindangi, however, appealed to residents of both states to desist from indiscriminate dumping of refuse in drainage and water ways to avert flooding.