Communities urge FG to probe earth tremor incidents, audit firms’ safety records

Communities affected by the July and August earth tremors in Rivers and Bayelsa states have appealed to the Federal Government to investigate the incidents.

According to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the people made the appeal in separate interviews in Yenagoa at the weekend.

The earth tremor was reported to have occurred around oilfields operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) in Bayelsa and Rivers.

The traditional ruler of Mbiama in Ahoada West Local Council of Rivers, King Abel Shadow, said the two vibrations beneath the ground caused panic among his subjects.

Shadow stated that the occurrence of the two incidents in quick succession was worrisome, adding that the intervention of government was required, with a view to tackling the problem.

He said that the community was so much in panic, especially when the incident recurred in August as the people gathered outside their houses in despair.

“The incident sent shockwaves down the spine of everyone in Mbiama.

“I was having a meeting in my palace when the earth started vibrating. We initially thought the vibration was caused by a machine at a nearby construction site.

“To our greatest surprise, we discovered that no machine was working anywhere around,” the monarch said.

Shadow, who said that he suspected the incidents might not be unconnected with seismic activities, expressed doubt on the safety procedures at the oilfields in the Niger Delta.