From ANDY ELEREWE, Abuja
Following the tremor that occurred on September 11, 2009, which affected western parts of the country, researchers have said that the incident was a sign that Nigeria is no longer safe as far as earthquake is concerned.
One of the researchers Adepetumi A. Abraham, a Geologist with the Department, of Geology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, said at the weekend at a media chat organized by NARSDA that the country is now prone to earthquake.
According to Abraham, his department in partnership with Centre of Geodesy and Dynamic, (CCG) has been involved in earthquake monitoring since 2007, and the findings arrived at so far portends danger for the country.
In his words: “we have been working in partnership to monitor what is happening in the subsurface of Nigeria and very recently, on September 11 there was a tremor at Abeokuta, Ijebu-Ode, among other parts of the west, which gave signal that there are likelihood of a substantial earthquake happening in the later future.”
He further explained that it is no longer true to say that Nigeria is outside the seismic region. “We have learnt before that Nigeria is outside seismic region that is to say it’s safe. In the last two to three years with what we gathered from CCG, some parts of Nigeria especially the South-West are not safe.”
He said Nigeria is now regarded to be within the seismic region and anything can happen anytime.
He warned that there is urgent need for the country to be prepared and get ready to invest in disaster monitoring equipment that will help in mitigating such disasters.
Also speaking at the meeting, the Director General of NARSDA, Dr Seidu O. Mohammed said investment in space research and technology is a must at this time in order to prepare early for disasters.