Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel has attributed the numerous security challenges currently facing the state and other parts of the country to the menace of cultism.

Fielding questions from journalists over the weekend, Governor Udom said his government was doing everything to tame kidnapping, armed robbery and other crimes in the state.

“What is happening now in most of these areas we are talking now is mostly caused by cultism. The bedrock of every security challengers and crimes in this country are traced to cultism. When young people are initiated into cults, the first thing they give them is a gun,” he said.

Udom also alleged that some persons, whose names he declined to mention, have been sponsoring miscreants to cause mayhem in the state, especially in Ukanafun and Etim-Ekpo Local Government Areas.

He further described the Water Resources Bill before the National Assembly as ‘very dangerous’. He said if the bill is passed into law, all resources in water would be owned by the Federal Government.

The governor said the bill does not only affect the South-south states but any state that has water resources.

“It does not only affect the South-South states, but also Lagos, Ondo and other states are affected by the Water Resources Bill, placing everything either on the surface or underneath water in Federal Government’s jurisdiction.”