“FG Places Abuja Under Round-The-Clock Seismic Monitoring” — Says Earth Tremor Poses No Threat To Lives, Property

The Federal Government has urged residents of the Federal Capital Territory to remain calm and continue their normal activities following a mild earth tremor recorded in parts of Abuja.

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, also directed the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency to issue hourly updates on seismic activity across the FCT to enable the government to continuously review the situation and coordinate with relevant agencies where necessary.

The directive followed an alert from the NGSA indicating that the tremor shook several structures in the capital at exactly 11:23:27 a.m. on Tuesday, August 4, 2026.

According to information obtained from the NGSA Seismic Monitoring Station in Utako, the earth movement originated at a depth of approximately one kilometre and travelled across a four-kilometre radius within five seconds.

Alake, who spoke from Washington, D.C., United States, where he was holding investment discussions with American joint-venture partners, reassured residents that the government had activated measures to protect lives and property.

“Residents of the Federal Capital should go about their normal routines without anxiety. Proactive measures have been deployed to ensure the safety of residents and properties,” the minister said in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Lara Owoeye-Wise.

The NGSA classified the incident as a minor geological event with an intensity of between I and II on the Modified Mercalli scale.

The agency said the intensity indicated a weak surface tremor unlikely to cause structural damage, casualties or any serious threat to residents.

“This is a characteristic feature of a surface earth tremor that poses no threat to lives and properties except for the discomfort of the shake and fear of possible destruction,” the agency stated.

The Federal Government said the hourly updates ordered by the minister would allow experts to detect any changes in the frequency, location or intensity of seismic activity within the capital.

The monitoring reports will also guide any necessary inter-agency response should the seismic situation change.

The ministry said the NGSA would maintain round-the-clock surveillance of the affected area and release further safety information where necessary.

Residents were urged to remain composed, avoid spreading unverified information and rely on official updates from the government and relevant scientific agencies.