Medical and environmental geologists, alongside government investigators, have attributed the recurring earth tremors in parts of the Federal Capital Territory to the indiscriminate sinking of boreholes and unsustainable groundwater extraction.

Investigations into the seismic incidents that rattled communities across Mpape, Katampe, Gwarinpa, and Maitama revealed that excessive water abstraction without adequate aquifer recharge has generated severe subsurface stress along preexisting rock fractures and geological fault lines.

According to findings submitted by the Presidential Committee on the Abuja tremors, headed by the former Director-General of the National Space Research and Development Agency, Prof. Seidu Mohammed, human activities have significantly heightened seismic vulnerability in the capital city.

Prof. Mohammed explained that about 110,000 boreholes sunk within the Abuja metropolis extract more than 330,000 metric tonnes of water on a daily basis, resulting in a major vacuum and hydrological instability underground.

The committee report stated, “Though these earthquakes may have been of low-magnitude, it is now certain that earthquake occurrence has become a potential hazard to the nation”.

Prof. Mohammed noted, “The report of the geological, hydrogeological and geotechnical investigations carried out in 1978 by Julius Berger for Abuja identified Mpape as a Shear zone that is weak with several fractures and fault system”.

Emphasising the primary driver of the ground vibrations, the committee maintained, “There is the need to regulate the exploitation of groundwater resources of Abuja via indiscriminate sinking of boreholes because this has been the primary reason for the stress build-up leading to the Abuja tremors of 5th-7th September 2018”.

He added, “Government should release fund for the training of geophysicist, geologists, engineers, technologists and researchers to participate in earth science research, in order to improve our understanding of Nigerian and West African geophysics and tectonics dynamism”.

Geological experts have observed that while Nigeria lies within a stable continental landmass, regional tectonic structures such as the Ifewara-Zungeru fault system can be reactivated when combined with intensive anthropogenic pressures, including deep borehole drilling, mining, and uncontrolled rock blasting by quarry operators.

To mitigate future risks and protect public infrastructure, geologists and regulatory stakeholders have urged the Federal Government to enforce strict permitting for borehole drilling, implement laws against unregulated mining, establish earthquake-resistant building standards in vulnerable districts, and expand seismic monitoring networks across the territory to deliver real-time data and early warnings.