2020 pilgrimage: Plateau government reveals what will happen to those who absconds

By Moses Mark

Plateau State Government has disclosed that hard time awaits those who would abscond from the holy land while participating in this year’s Pilgrimage, saying the State will institute court action.

Executive Secretary of the Plateau State Christian Pilgrims welfare Board, Rev Fr George Gorap stated this while Speaking with Journalists in Jos, the Plateau state capital .

“From henceforth any Pilgrim who absconds from the holy land in Israel , his or are guarantor would be made to face the full wrath of the law as contented in the pilgrimage form .

He said that the board would also penalise any person caught selling any pilgrimage form henceforth .

The Cleric said that the organisation has put in place procedures that will make it difficult for pilgrims to abscond while in the Holy Land.

“It is expected that Christian Pilgrims to Jerusalem, Israel for December 2020 are to undergo robust screening exercise to ascertain their eligibility to embark on the holy spiritual exercise.”

“In 2018 , the Plateau state Governor Simon Lalong sponsored 1,700 persons and one person absconded , 2019 the state government again sponsored 1,200 persons and 3 persons absconded ,this year because of the challenges of COVID 19, we are yet to get any notice from the Israel government ,however we are preparing and Governor Simon Lalong has indicated interest to sponsor people for pilgrimage”.

He noted that all pilgrims from the state must provide guarantors to stand as surety for them before they will be allowed to perform the important spiritual exercises in December this year.

According to him the Plateau the state government is working hard to ensure that abscondment while on pilgrimage becomes a thing of the past .

He commended the Plateau State Governor and Chairman Northern Governors Forum Barr. Simon Lalong for leading in the sponsorship of Christians on Holy pilgrimage to Israel and for advancing the course of Christian pilgrimage in Plateau and in Nigeria as a whole.

He affirmed that the Governor had sponsored the highest number of Pilgrims from 2018 to date.

Gorap also commended the Plateau State Governor for sustaining lasting peace in the Plateau, adding that with peace in Plateau, businesses would thrive and investors would be attracted to invest in the state

The cleric also commended the Executive Secretary,Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC) Rev. Yakubu Pam and Governor Lalong for working to ensure that pilgrims would be airlift from the Jos Airport in Heipang Plateau state stressing that the action was to ensure the safety of the pilgrims who normally returned at late hours to Nigeria and ply the roads at night from Abuja to Jos.