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Mpape has nine quarries and Crush Rock is one of the two abandoned quarries. Quarries are a substantial source for sandstone, marble, granite, limestone, rock salt, phosphate rock, perlite and slate. These quarries provided nonmetallic stones needed for the building of Abuja City in the ’80s. The Crush Rock quarry has existed for over 10 years. It lies along the Maitama-Garui Road in Abuja. The name Crush Rock came about when explosives used during the excavation process to blast the rock into pieces, were further crushed to produce aggregates. The aggregates were later screened into required sizes or further processed. After the quarry was abandoned, a 14m deep lake formed from the fracture in the rocks around the quarry. Taking a trip to Crush Rock Mpape is not for the faint of heart. The route to Mpape from Kubwa Expressway is snakelike and rough. Though it is a tarred road, it has suffered degradation making it hard on the shucks of your car. And from the community to Crush Rock is a winding earth road marked by Hausa sellers with jerry cans at the junction. In light of its growing fame, Abraham Adepelumi, a geophysicist from Obafemi Awolowo University, had earlier warned visitors that the Mpape area has been prone to tremors since 2018. Despite all these challenges, tourists still make their way to Crush Rock for a personal experience.
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A few adventurous tourists have visited this abandoned quarry secretly in previous years. But in August 2020, its hidden beauty was unveiled to the world via a tweet by @oneusualsuspect. He posted stunning pictures of the quarry on the 4th of August that went viral. It has since attracted DJs, videographers, food vendors, musical bands, selfie lovers, and even adventurous hikers/rock climbers to Crush Rock. This photographic gem is a made up of grey rocks, green foliage and a manmade lake. It is an ideal spot for hiking or rock climbing, sightseeing, picnics. However, it is definitely not for swimming. Tempting as the stillness and shallow entrance to the lake is, it is an unsafe place to take a swim. The dangers of swimming at the Mpape Lake are not because of its green waters (which indicate a healthy aquatic ecosystem), but because in its depths have been broken down by machinery. Furthermore an accumulation of plastic, rubber and paper wastes makes it further unsafe. Thanks to the rainy season and the efforts of some volunteers, Crush Rock is no longer associated with the filth insinuated by the early August visitors. Now tourists who visit can take in the breathtaking views of the shimmering lake, rock cliffs, winding moss-filled path and the blue sky on a sunny day. In conclusion, the aerial view of Crush Rock with a drone is still an amazing sight to see. But whatever angle you take a photo from, you are bound to have an awesome view. References: Folio NG BBC Featured Image Source: BBC
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