Residents of Jos-Bukuru, a bustling metropolis in Plateau State, North-central Nigeria, were gripped by panic on Tuesday morning as news circulated on social media alleging a bomb explosion at Jos Main Market, widely known as Terminus Market.

“I was getting ready to go to my lectures this morning when I heard there was a bomb at Terminus,” a resident and student of the University of Jos told HumAngle. “I decided to stay back.”

Solomon Odo, an office worker near the Post Office within the market area, recounted hearing a loud sound. “The noise came from an area close to the Bus Terminal and the old Jos University Teaching Hospital (Old JUTH),” he explained. However, when he and his colleagues checked, they found no evidence of an explosion. The Police Anti-Bomb Squad was already on the scene, securing the area. “Shops were closed because of the scare,” Odo added.

Despite several national media outlets and social media users spreading reports of an explosion, Plateau State Police Command spokesperson Alfred Alabo and Plateau State Governor’s spokesperson Gyang Bere confirmed that no explosion had occurred, dispelling the rumours.

“In the early hours of today, the 12th day of November 2024, at exactly 08:20 a.m., the Plateau State Police Command received a report of a shallow dug hole suspected to be planted with an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) at Ahmadu Bello Way beside Old JUTH fence which created panic among the residents of the State,” Alabo said. “Upon conclusion of the examination, the hole was found to be safe and free of any explosive devices.”

Bere’s narration states, “a group of individuals who misinterpreted a heap of polythene bags as a potential threat.”  Echoing this, Odo told HumAngle, “when we arrived, we saw police officers inspecting what seemed to be a pile of waste.”

The Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Adesina, has since declared the area free of explosives. During the interview, Odo, who was at Terminus Market, said, “Everything is back to normal now. Shops have reopened. I even went there to take pictures.” 

“The Governor urged all Plateau citizens to remain vigilant and to act as responsible ambassadors of the state, upholding its reputation and rich heritage,” Bere added. 

For many Jos residents, Terminus Market is a “no-go area” whenever rumours of insecurity arise. The site has a traumatic history, with a twin bomb blast in 2014 killing at least 118 people. However, the Jos-Bukuru area has experienced relative peace in recent years.