BY DAVID ADUGE-ANI

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has warned intending pilgrims fro the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to Israel against abscondment in the Holy Land.

Minister of State for FCT, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, gave the warning in Abuja on Monday at the pre-departure orientation programme for over 142 intending FCT Christian Pilgrims to the kingdom of Jordan and Israel.

Mahmoud warned further that the government would not tolerate any act of abscondment from pilgrimage, admonishing that Pilgrims should be good ambassadors of FCT and Nigeria at large.

She maintained that stringent measures have been instituted to prevent abscondment and every other act capable of bringing disrepute to the country.

The minister urged all intending Pilgrims to exhibit characters that will portray the country positively and also enhance personal dignity while in the holy land.

She urged them to pray fervently for President Bola Tinubu and all members of the Renewed hope agenda team, for continued effective governance and delivery of democratic benefits to the people.

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 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 has said that while it doesn’t envisage any case of abscondment, individuals who make such an attempt would put their guarantors in jeopardy.

The Acting Director of the Board, Gloria Dandam, said that for many years, FCT has achieved a great feat by not recording any abscondment of Pilgrims, but should there be any case guarantors of those who absconded would be arrested and prosecuted.

She said, “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 hold the person to ransom, we can take him to court, and charge him, because he has signed for somebody who absconded,” Dandam added.