NO CASE OF ABSCONDMENT OF ANY PILGRIM IN ISRAEL

There is no case of abscondment of any pilgrims in Israel

The attention of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC) has been drawn to a publication by Sun Newspaper of Friday, 1st November, 2013 that two pilgrims absconded in Israel.
 
I therefore wish to state categorically that the story is false and unfounded. The Commission has not recorded any single incidence of abscondment in the on going October/December Christian Pilgrimage Exercise.
 
It is equally germane to stress that in the past three years, NCPC has maintained zero abscondment due to effective screening mechanism of Intending Pilgrims and thorough security checks deployed by the Commission and Israeli authorities.
 
The Commission seriously frowns at the overzealous and hasty publication by the Sun reporter.
 
How can one talk of defection in Israel when the contingent or group under which the pilgrims travelled are still undergoing pilgrimage in the Holy Land, until they return to Nigeria, one cannot ascertain whether any pilgrim absconded or not.
 
It is incumbent on the media to always verify their facts from the appropriate authorities before going to the press to avoid misleading the public.