The Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom has said the secessionist agitations in the country was because Nigerians had lost faith in the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

According to Ortom, the unfair treatment of Nigerians by Buhari’s government led to the agitations for separation from Nigeria by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Oduduwa Republic.

The governor stated this on Thursday while speaking at an event organised by the Radio Nigeria chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Enugu State.

He maintained that the criminal activities and insecurity in Nigeria have hurt the socio-economic life of the country and are also fueling ethnic tensions.

Ortom said, “As you are aware, youth restiveness, herdsmen attacks, banditry and other criminal activities have had a negative impact on the socio-economic life of the country and are also fueling ethnic tensions.

“As I stated earlier, the current secessionist agitations here in the East and elsewhere are a result of injustice and lack of fairness to Nigerians by the current Presidency.

“This is why there is a growing perception that the Federal Government is encouraging the murderous activities of Fulani herdsmen by its actions and inaction.

“From all indications, the public trust in the Presidency has been eroded. This does not speak well for the corporate existence of Nigeria”.

Governor Ortom has consistently slammed President Buhari for not taking a strong stand against the Fulani militia and herdsmen, who has been accused severally of killing and destroying lives and properties in different parts of the country.

The governor had accused Buhari of pampering the Fulani herders who have killed many people and destroyed homes and farmlands in Benue.