Diphtheria: Plateau Orders ‘No Mask, No Entry’ on TinCity Buses

The Plateau State Government has stepped up measures to contain the spread of diphtheria, with passengers using TinCity Metro buses now required to wear face masks before boarding.

The Plateau Express Services Group announced the “No Face Mask, No Entry” policy on Monday, directing its enforcement across all TinCity Metro buses from Tuesday, September 8, 2026, until further notice.

TinCity Metro is the state’s intra-city mass transit service operating across the Jos metropolis.

The management said the decision was taken as part of efforts to provide a safer public transport environment and limit the spread of the bacterial infection, which can be transmitted through respiratory droplets and close contact.

To support the initial enforcement, the transport operator said a limited quantity of face masks would be made available at designated boarding points.

It, however, advised commuters to come with their own masks, warning that the supplies provided at the terminals might not be enough to meet the needs of all passengers.

The management urged passengers to comply with the directive and cooperate with TinCity Metro personnel, stressing that controlling a public health outbreak required collective responsibility.

The development comes amid growing concern over the spread of diphtheria in the state.

The Plateau Commissioner for Health, Nicholas Baamlong, had disclosed on Friday that the state recorded 148 suspected diphtheria cases and 23 deaths within two weeks.

According to the commissioner, eight patients were receiving treatment at the Jos University Teaching Hospital, while another five were being treated at the Plateau Specialist Hospital.

The latest transport restriction adds to the state’s efforts to contain the outbreak, particularly in crowded settings where close contact among commuters could increase the risk of transmission.

With the face-mask directive now in force, passengers using TinCity Metro buses are expected to comply with the requirement before boarding.