Residents of Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been urged to remain calm after a mild earth tremor was recorded in parts of Abuja on Tuesday.

The reassurance came from the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, who directed the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) to provide him with hourly updates on seismic activities in and around the nation’s capital for continuous monitoring and possible escalation to relevant authorities if necessary.

The directive was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Minister’s Special Assistant on Media, Lara Owoeye-Wise.

According to the statement, the NGSA’s Seismic Monitoring Station in Utako detected the tremor at exactly 11:23:27 a.m. on Tuesday. The agency said the tremor originated at a depth of one kilometre and travelled approximately four kilometres within five seconds.

Despite the noticeable shaking experienced in some buildings across the city, the NGSA described the incident as a light seismic event, rating it between I and II on the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale.

The agency explained that the tremor posed no threat to lives or property, noting that such low-intensity events typically cause only slight shaking and temporary concern among residents.

“The event is characteristic of a surface earth tremor that poses no danger to lives and properties, apart from the discomfort caused by the shaking and fears of possible damage,” the agency stated.

Dr. Alake, who is currently in Washington, D.C., United States, engaging American investors on joint venture opportunities in Nigeria’s solid minerals sector, assured residents that the government is closely monitoring the situation.

He urged Abuja residents to continue their normal daily activities without fear, adding that proactive measures have already been put in place to ensure the safety of lives and property while the NGSA continues to monitor seismic developments in the FCT.