By Daniel Tyokua
The Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Dr Mariya Mahmoud has urged Christian pilgrims to exhibit good conduct during their pilgrimage in the holy land.
She gave the charge in Abuja, on Monday at the pre-departure orientation for over 142 intending Christian Pilgrims for 2025 Easter pilgrimage to the lands of Israel and the kingdom of Jordan.
Mahmoud advised the pilgrims to portray FCT, and Nigeria in a positive light while carrying out the holy exercise.
She said stringent measures have been put in place to prevent abscondment and other acts capable of bringing disrepute to the country.
Mahmoud said, “ The occasion of this pre-departure orientation program is a demonstration of the government’s commitments to the spiritual wellbeing of the people.
“For some of you who might be contemplating to abscond or indulge in any acts that are inimical to the name of our dear country, should have a rethink because this will not be accepted at any rate.
“The federal government of Nigeria has put in place effective pro-active machinery to counter such effort.
I sincerely hope that this pilgrimage will provide you with unique and rewarding encounters as we await your safe return back home”, she added.
In her remarks, acting Director of FCT Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Gloria Dandam said the board doesn’t envisage any case of abscondment, individuals who make such an attempt would put their guarantors in trouble.
She said for many years, FCT had not recorded an abscondment of Pilgrims, but should there be any case, guarantors of those who absconded would be arrested and prosecuted.
“Right now, in FCT alone, we have 142 pilgrims that have paid to take off, but we have other states joining us. Your guarantors were made to fill the forms so that if you don’t come back, we’ll know who to hold.
“ If you don’t come back, we will hold the person to ransom, we can take him to court, and charge him, because he has signed for somebody who absconded”, Dandam said.
