The Jos Metropolitan Development Board (JMDB) has begun enforcement of quit notices to clear illegal shops and makeshift structures across Jos and Bukuru metropolis.
The operation was led by the General Manager of JMDB, Arc. Hart Bankat, along with the directors and staff of the board. They were joined by the Director-General of the Plateau Environmental Protection Sanitation Agency (PEPSA), Hon. Samuel Dapiya.
The team first visited Zarmaganda, near RCM Primary School, where Arc. Bankat addressed traders. He reminded them that they had received quit notices for more than a year and must vacate the premises before demolition begins.
He urged the shop owners to organize themselves according to their line of business. Bankat assured them that the government will provide a safe and suitable location for them to continue their trade.
According to him, the government plans to create a conducive and secure environment for business. He added that many of the illegal structures had become hideouts for criminal activities such as theft, phone snatching, cultism, and assault.
Bankat linked the criminal activities to the recent killing of Mr. Bitrus Lomak at Zarmaganda. The victim, who owned a rental business called B. Balloons, was murdered by suspected cultists on August 18, 2025.
Eyewitnesses said the assailants shot into the air to disperse people before targeting Lomak and shooting him three times. Residents said such attacks have become common in the area.
Bankat also explained that while the law requires 21 days’ notice before demolition of permanent structures and 72 hours for temporary ones, the government had delayed action out of human consideration.
During the exercise, officials discovered that many of the shops were operating under poor hygiene conditions. Some food vendors were cooking and selling directly on top of blocked drainage, littered with dirt.
The inspection covered Zarmaganda, opposite CIC Church, Dadin Kowa First Gate, and Sparkling Junction. Affected traders had earlier received notices in March 2024 and again in May 2025.
Meanwhile, PEPSA Director-General, Hon. Samuel Dapiya, appealed to residents to stop dumping refuse into drainages. He urged them to clean their environment regularly to prevent flooding and health risks.
Trucks from the sanitation agency later evacuated refuse from blocked drainage despite heavy rainfall during the operation.
It will be recalled that Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang had signed Executive Order 003 in March 2024 to curb indiscriminate structures under the Greater Jos Master Plan.
The ongoing demolition, officials say, is part of efforts to restore order, improve sanitation, and reduce crime in the state capital.
