Jos Explosions: Commercial activities disrupted as government implements street hawking ban

People who tried to go about their daily activities were maltreated by security agents.

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Major streets in Jos, particularly on Murtala Mohammed way, Ahmadu Bello way, Rwang Pam, Church streets, as well as Bank road, were free from major activities on Monday morning following the implementation of the ban on street hawking as directed by the Plateau State government last week.

The implementation of the ban also affected commercial and banking activities in the state capital as security officials implemented the directive.
The affected banks included Access Bank main branch, Eco Bank, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Fidelity Bank, First Bank main branch, Guarantee Trust Bank, Union Bank, United Bank for Africa, UBA, Diamond Bank, Unity Bank, Bank PHB, and the Central Bank Jos branch among others.

Staff of the banks could not gain access to their offices due to the heavy barricade by a joint security taskforce who prevented entry to the roads.

Commercial cars and tricycles were also not allowed access to the city centre due to the ban. The development also affected the transactions of the Board of Internal Revenue, as all routes leading to its office, located along Bank road were closed.

A middle-aged man was beaten by security agents while trying to gain access to the State High Court. A witness said the victim, a lawyer, was struggling to attend a court sitting for a case slated for Monday.

Similarly, staff of the former Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, zonal headquarters, located along Ahmadu Bello way, were also prevented from resuming work.

Ahmed Ibrahim, who owns a shop at Ahmadu Bello way, lamented the situation. He said the ban was on hawking and not for shop owners; and questioned why security agents were preventing shop owners from going about their businesses.

“I cannot go to my shop, Soldiers threatened me, so for my safety I had to leave.”

Several motorists and pedestrians were also harassed by security agents.

The barricade by the security agents caused a heavy gridlock with a commercial driver, Paul Uwana, saying he spent more than two hours to drive a five kilometre distance.

The Plateau State government had announced a ban on street hawking along the Terminus market area and other major streets, following the recent bomb explosions that killed about 200 people.

Some of the affected areas were government banned hawking are Murtala Muhammed way, Terminus Market way, Ahmadu Bello way, Tudun Wada, Chorbe, Jenta, Dilimi, Kugiya- Bukuru and Rantya state low cost junction; all in Jos North and South local governments.