The FCT minister of state, Mariya Mahmoud on Monday warned that the government would not tolerate any act of abscondment from pilgrimage, admonishing FCT pilgrims to be good ambassadors of Nigeria.
Mahmoud stated this in Abuja, at the pre-departure orientation program for over 142 intending Christian Pilgrims to the kingdom of Jordan and State of Israel, warning that stringent measures have been instituted to prevent abscondment.
She added that part of the measures was to ensure that guarantors of any pilgrim who absconds is arrested and prosecuted.
The minister urged all intending pilgrims to exhibit character that will portray Nigeria positively while enhancing personal dignity in the holy lands.
She urged them to pray fervently for President Bola Tinubu and all members of the Renewed Hope Agenda team, for effective governance and delivery of democratic benefits to the people.
“The occasion of this pre-departure orientation program is a demonstration of the government's commitments to the spiritual wellbeing of the people," Mahmoud said.
“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 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.”
Meanwhile, the FCT Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board said the FCT has not recorded any pilgrim's abscondment.
However, its Acting Director of the Board, Gloria Dandam, warned that anyone who does would be 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," Dandam said.
“If you don't come back, we hold the person to ransom, we can take him to court, and charge him, because he has signed for somebody who absconded," She added.
