By Akaninyene Ezekiel

Jos –  Elder statesman and first civilian governor of Plateau State, Chief Solomon Lar, has urged those clamouring for the formation of State Police to recall the experiences citizens had in the hands of the local police system known as Yan Doka, which existed in the late 50s till early 70s until the 1979 constitution addressed the issue.

Chief Lar said local police were exploited by politicians, which made them oppressive, hence the need to weigh the options before calling for it.

Addressing newsmen at his residence in Jos, yesterday, Lar blamed deep-rooted corruption for every misfortune facing the nation and called on everyone to come together to fight the common enemy for other things to take shape in the country.

On the problems confronting Plateau State, he said had the recommendations of the Peace Panel he headed and other panels before it were implemented, the problems would have ended before now.

He said: “It is unfortunate that Jos and indeed the entire state has become what it is today. This state received a medal for good governance and for being peaceful and people were coming from everywhere to live and do business here and we did not discriminate against anybody.”

“People from all tribes came here and even got into the parliament.  But now, people are trying to paint Plateau as an unfriendly state, which is not so because Plateau people have been very fair to everyone.”