Nigeria Not Immune to Earthquakes, Scientist Warns of Looming Disaster

A Nigerian scientist, Dr Anietie Ikott, has issued a stark warning that Nigeria is not immune to earthquakes and may soon experience a devastating seismic event. Speaking in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Ikott challenged the long-held belief that Nigeria lies outside seismic zones, citing recent tremors in Abuja and parts of the South-West as evidence of growing vulnerability. He emphasized that earthquakes can strike any time, any day, and that no region in Nigeria should consider itself safe. Ikott linked the threat to broader climate change-induced disasters such as flooding and windstorms, which have already caused massive destruction in states like Niger and Borno. He argued that tectonic stress between the African and South American plates could be triggering tremors along Nigeria’s coastal fault lines. Historical records show Nigeria has experienced minor earthquakes since 1933, with notable events in 1939, 1964, 1984, and 2006, mostly concentrated along the Ifewara-Zungeru fault. Ikott also claimed to have developed a weather control technology capable of mitigating earthquakes and other natural disasters, urging the government to invest in such innovations. Experts are now calling for seismic retrofitting of buildings in high-risk areas and increased public awareness. With predictions of a potential magnitude 7.2 earthquake by 2028, Nigeria faces mounting pressure to act swiftly and strengthen its disaster preparedness.