The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 poll, Mr Peter Obi, has criticised the federal government for the spate of killings in Plateau and Benue states.

On Monday, gunmen attacked Zurak village in Wase LGA of the state and reportedly killed more than 40 residents.

Obi described the latest killings as one too many, and asked the federal government to live up to its constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and property.

“One continues to be disheartened by the persistent reports of terrorist attacks across Plateau, Benue, and other parts of the country,” the former Anambra governor wrote on X.

“The recent reports of an attack in Zurak village in Wase LGA of Plateau state which has left about 40 people dead and many others hospitalized remains a very sad one, which must be condemned in strong terms.

“This adds to the growing number of these heinous attacks. These repeated attacks particularly in Plateau have become too many to make any discerning mind worrisome.

“Again, I call on the government to rise to its responsibilities of securing the lives and property of Nigerians with corresponding actions.

“Above all, we must take every necessary measure to drastically reduce insecurity in the nation by investing in the critical areas of human development; education, health, and lifting people out of poverty.”

On April 18, gunmen killed at least 12 people in the Tilengpat community of Pushit district, in Mangu LGA of Plateau.

Before this, gunmen killed at least 10 residents of Mandar Shar and Kopnanle villages under Mangu and Bokkos LGAs.

There have also been persistent gunmen attacks in the north-central state of Benue, exacerbated by an age-long farmer-herder crisis.