Nigerian pilgrims pray in Israel
The Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC) said that Chairman, Kano State Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Adeolu Adeyemo, would be held responsible for one Mr Samuel Taiye who absconded in Israel.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Rev. Tor Uja said that Adeyemo is responsible for Taiye’s absconding because, he was his guarantor for the pilgrimage.
He disclosed this when the Director-General of Leadership Newspapers of Nigeria, Mr Abdul Gombe, paid him a visit in his office on Wednesday.
The NCPC boss said that Taiye is from Osun State but resides in Kano state, with his wife, four children and attends the Apostolic Church, in Kano State.
“The NCPC team has its doubt on Taiye because of the type of document he presented.
“The Pastor of his church called to plead on his behalf and later the CAN state’s chairman put a call through to the commission to recommend Taiye and guaranteed that he will take responsibility if Taye should abscond.
“I have called them this morning to provide Taiye, his wife and four children; they are presently under the custody of the Department of State Security, Kano.
“The state chairman must take responsibility and make sure Taiye comes with the last flight back to Nigeria,” he said.
The NCPC boss said that this would serve as deterrent to other intending absconders and guarantors.
He said that the commission intensified screening and re-screening of intending pilgrims has paid off, adding that the commission would continue to use the same medium to check the rate of abscondment during pilgrimage.
Uja disclosed that the commission is set to carry out a campaign of advocacy to enable Nigerians believe in Nigeria.
He, however, said that the commission has increase the security surveillance during pilgrimage.
He warned that the commission would ensure that any state with high number of absconders during pilgrimage would be blacklisted by the commission.
He described Nigeria as a responsible country that has all it required to provide for its citizens.
Uja said that there was need for Nigerians to reposition its values and traditions, saying “Labour of our hero’s past should never be in vain.
“Not necessarily past Presidents or Heads of state, but taxi drivers, teachers and common Nigerians that have made marks in the country.
“We are honouring the wrong people in the country. People that have stolen from us, those we glorify hurt us in return,” he said.
He said that it was time for Nigerians to identify and recognize people that have done a lot for the country.
He said that Nigerians should stop disparaging their leaders and young people by the things that they publish on the media.
“It is time for us to honour our true heroes,” he stressed.
Uja called on the media to give special attention to the positive sides of Nigeria rather than reporting on the negatives.
He disclosed that the commission would collaborate with the media to fight abscondment and refocus the minds of Nigerians.
He explained that Christian pilgrimage under his leadership is focused on enhancing the spiritual content of pilgrimage, using pilgrimage to showcase the great beauty and capacity that Nigeria has and using Christian pilgrimage to promote national development.
He commended Gombe for the wonderful work he is doing at Leadership Newspaper and solicited for improved partnership between the two organisations.
In his remark, the Director-General of Leadership, Gombe promised to partner with NCPC in order to advance the course of pilgrimage in Nigeria.
To this effect, he said, that a joint committee comprising both organisations would be set up to come up with a partnership template for the collaboration.
The DG promised to continue to partner with the commission because of their belief in leadership.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 100 Christian pilgrims who went to Israel for 2017 absconded.
The 100 absconded pilgrims were from six states in Nigeria, amongst those who absconded were a serving soldier, a police inspector and a lecturer.
