News carried that an earth tremor occurred in Kaduna, making inhabitants of the area panic. These occurrence was also felt in Shaki, Ibadan and some other parts of the Basement Complex (Areas with Igneous and Metamorphic rocks) of Nigeria.

Most Nigeria Geologists believe that the country is on a stable zone. However, recent studies have shown that Nigeria is located between a stable craton at its west, the Cameroon volcanics to its East, the Atlantic Ocean to the South and the Younger Granites to the North in Niger (although we have some of its portion around the Jos-Plateau, down to Birin-Kudu in Jigawa state).
Out of all the West African state only Ghana rest comfortably on a Craton (stable part of crust) called the West Africa craton. Nigeria is located to its Eastern part.

It is believed that the pan-African orogeny is the last orogenic process that affected the whole landmass of Africa. Just some days ago, earthquake was also recorded in Tanzania. This means that Africa may not be stable after all.

I put forward the following hypothesis to counter the proposition that Nigeria is stable:

1. The Benue Trough is known to have be formed during the Santonian. It is the third arm of the a rift system, although it is a failed one unlike the one around Egypt. This Olade termed the Aulacogen. If not for its failure during the separation of South America from Africa and the opening of the Atlantic ocean, Africa would have been divided into several minor plates. Therefore, a reactivation of the Benue Trough might cause several earthquakes. A recent study I carried out showed that the some schist areas of Nigeria (where Kaduna is located) is highly jointed (for example the Owo schist area) and that many of the joints are reacivated (Manuscript submitted for publication). This shows that there is a possibility of reactivation through tectonism.

2. The reactivation of the Cameroun volcanoes is potent threat to our country. If the volcanoes are reactivated, its impact will be felt in Nigeria. These earthquake might be a possible signal to the rejuvenation of these volcanoes. Volcanologists should set out to study them.

3. The Mid Oceanic Ridge (MOR) in the Atlantic Ocean should continually be studied. It might give us a clue to what is happening.

4. Incessant drilling of boreholes for water penerating these fault and fracture zones can cause their reactivation. Government and policy makers should endeavour to enact a law that will stop incessant borehole drilling. However, before this can be done, efficient public water must be put in place such that every house is connected to a main source of water supply.

Written by Adewumi, A.J.