16th January, 2020
Four Lagos State pilgrims, who embarked on pilgrimage to Jerusalem in Israel have absconded.
Those who absconded were from Batch one and two pilgrims who travelled to Jerusalem with the Lagos State Christian Pilgrims Board in December 2019.
It was gathered that one of those who absconded was later arrested by the Israeli authorities and deported back to Nigeria while three others were never seen again.
During the second batch, it was gathered that one Ogunbanjo Oluwaseyi allegedly absconded. she was said to be part of bus five team until she left her hotel room around Nazareth and allegedly bolted.
A source told PM News that the woman who shared room with Ogunbanjo said she noticed she received a call around 5.00am Israeli time, after which she told her she was going to buy soap. Her roommate said she asked Ogunbanjo where she would get soap that early morning, and that rather than listening to her, she left.
Hoping she would return back to the hotel room, it was when the other pilgrims were about to leave for the tour that Ogunbanjo’s roommate had to voice out that she did not see her partner since she left the hotel around 5.00am.
The Bus leader and members of the Nigerian Pilgrims Commission, attached to bus five went to check her room with the tour guide and realized that she was gone. She only left few belongings, clothes given by the Lagos Pilgrims Board for intending Pilgrims.
Also, Dr. Joseph Chibuogwu, a representative of the Director in Charge, Nigerian Pilgrims Commission, confirmed that four Lagos pilgrims absconded, but that one was caught and deported.
He said the exercise was okay, saying that “though, we don’t pray for someone to abscond but the record is not too bad. We have over 250 pilgrims and out of them, three absconded. The three that absconded, we believe the Israeli Government will get them.
“We don’t want to mention the one that was caught after absconding. my final record is three. We thank the Governor of Lagos State for sponsoring some people. We also thank individuals who have come to sponsor themselves for Pilgrimage, we believe that by next year they will do better. The number of pilgrims from Lagos is encouraging.” he said.