Mpape: Troubling Harbingers Of Earthquake

Mpape, a word which connotes “ rocky place” in Gbagyi language has once again been shaken to its foundations by a recurring earth tremor.

When the tremor occurred the first time, sometime in 2022, the residents were not just petrified, but angry that in the midst of their poverty, they were also confronted with an existential threat posed by the forces of nature.

In 2012, the then government in power had subtly moved to demolish Mpape community and reallocate the entire place to estate developers as part of an urban renewal programme.

The move was vehemently resisted, not just by the aborigines and indigenous inhabitants of Abuja but even the non indigenes who have made the ghetto settlement their home. The protest and lawsuits somehow forced the then government to reconsider the proposed demolition of the community.

Although Mpape is a slum, residents who live there either by choice or circumstances, are happy to be close to the city centre.

Rock crushing

As far back as 1977, Mpape had become the desired destination for construction companies who were searching for granite, stones, sand and other raw materials to build the then newly approved Federal Capital city, Abuja.

Since then, many of the rocks dotting the landscape have been blasted and crushed by the construction companies operating quarries in the community Some of the quarry sites have been abandoned with what appears to be serious environmental impact.

Other sites are still operational with little or no clear plans to ameliorate the devastating effects of the stone mining activities on residents. Almost on a daily basis, Mpape community and environs witness a huge presence of heavy trucks that throng the various quarries to load stones and granite.

Residents have also complained of intermittent disturbing sound of stone blasting, usually done with the help of dynamites and other explosive devices.

The major concerns of the residents is that the only road leading to the community has remained very narrow, hilly and rugged making driving on it a very rigorous exercise. It is even considered to be a death trap.

The concerns about the road is not the only challenge before these citizens. They have, for years had to live with other environmental issues.

Community voices

Inside Abuja learnt that when the earth tremor happened the first time in 2022, the residents expected the government to be more proactive.

Officials of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board ( AEBP) , visited the place and pledged to take decisive actions. Residents have however, revealed that nothing was done as a follow up to the government’s pronouncement.

A resident, Chief Godfrey Mgbemmere, who claimed to be a community leader in Mpape said the residents expected more than investigation from the government.

He said: “When the first incident occurred in 2022, government agencies told us that we should not panic, that there was no cause for alarm. “They also told us that relevant agencies were investigating the tremor to determine what would have been responsible.

“Unfortunately, since that time, we haven’t hear anything from the agencies about the tremor until this time. “We are afraid of this earth tremor, because the way our houses shake, it may result in an earthquake that may consume us one day”.

Second tremor

Just two weeks ago, while the Mpape, Katampe and some parts of Maitama communities were grappling with the economic hardship in the country, the tremor resurfaced like a thief in the night.

The affected communities are jittery, that the tremor has some negative impact that may destabilize their lives and livelihoods. Inside Abuja gathered that for the fears of the unknown, some residents are already planning to take their destinies in their hands.

Zakari Bello, a native of Mpape said that while the aborigines will stay back to watch the unfolding events, some non indigenous people were contemplating moving out. “For us we have no place to move to.

This is the only place we have to call a home. But, I have heard that some of our strangers here want to relocate to another place. They said that the tremor may become an earthquake one day”, Bello said.

While residents of the affected places are losing their sleep over the tremor, the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency, NGSA, has said that there is no cause for alarm. In astatement issued by the Director-General NGSA, Prof. Olusegun Ige. the agency said it had been monitoring the situation and has found it not to be a threat.

The statement reads: “The Monitoring Station (NGSA-5) at Katampe has been capturing several significant ground motions with high moment magnitudes (Mw) in the past five days, beginning from September 13, 2024 till date.

“Only one mild event was recorded on September 13th. Six of these events were captured on the 14th of September, while over 21 events were captured on the 15th with higher intensities. More than twenty events were recorded on the 16th of September.

The intensity and frequency of the tremor appear to increase from the 13th to 16th September. There are a few weak events recorded today, 17th September. “Preliminary analysis of the waveforms showed that the sources of the ground motions are less than 5 km away from the monitoring station.

NGSA team also visited the affected areas for on-the-spot assessments of the events. From the accounts of the residents of the affected areas, the observations by the NGSA team, and findings from earlier interpretations of the airborne geophysical data over the area and adjoining areas.

Tremor impact

“The tremors are a result of accumulated stress along the identified faults and released seismic energy, which may have traveled through associated fractures to areas where the tremors were felt around the FCT.

“There are multiple epicenters associated with the recent tremor. Most of the epicenters are located northeast of the NGSA-5 Seismic Station around Mpape axis, while a few are located southwest of the Station around Katampe axis.

The intensities of the tremors are weak to light, ranging from III – IV on the Modified Mercalli Scale, and pose a very low level threat. “The residents of Mpape, Katampe, Maitama, and other areas where the tremors were felt are advised not to panic as the tremors can be generally described as low.

The Agency is keeping a close monitoring of the situation and will provide updates as may become necessary. The general public should also be aware that the NGSA Seismic Stations are being monitored in real time to ensure prompt alerts on any major event.”

Committee

While anxiety is rife among seemingly confused residents, the Federal Capital Territory Administration ( FCTA) said it has set up a committee to prepare residents for any possible emergency.

A statement from the FCT Emergency Management Department ( FEMD) said that some critical stakeholders have been put on red alert to handle any eventuality. Inside Abuja learnt that the supposed intervention from FEMD has not calmed the frayed nerves, but exacerbated the anxiety.

The ad hoc Committee inaugurated by the acting Director of FEMD, Engr Abdulrahman Mohammed noted that the assembling of experts was advisable, even though, the earth tremor “ exhibited no physical evidence of rock movement”.

The point in the statement which has increased fears and anxiety among residents, is the opinion given by a staff of FCTA Solid Minerals Department. It was learnt that the deputy Director , Solid Minerals,FCTA, Ulom Ifop, said that .”this thing which has started will continue.

There is a seismic substation at Toro and at Katampe Hill. We need a substation at Area 11, Asokoro and Maitama”. Inside Abuja also learnt that the Federal Ministry of Science, Innovation and Technology has joined the agencies trying to quench the fire of anxiety kindled by the tremor.

The Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology, Uche Nnaji, disclosed that the government would soon implement measures to mitigate the seismic risks.

“The government is currently processing and analysing comprehensive datasets from its Seismological and GNSS stations to provide relevant recommendations to the FCT Administration. “We urge the residents of Mpape, and by extension the wider Abuja area, to remain calm and continue their normal activities,” Nnaji said.