Five Nigerian pilgrims who went to Israel for this year’s pilgrimage have absconded. Two were from Lagos State while the remaining three were from Kaduna State.

The two pilgrims from Lagos State, western Nigeria, were part of group two, batch one of the pilgrims who departed the shores of Lagos on 22 November, 2013. P.M.NEWS gathered that they disappeared immediately after a visit to the Wailing Wall and while pilgrims were ascending Mount Zion.

One of the pilgrims was caught by the police, while the second one, identified as Ndubuisi is still at large.

The incident, which occurred on Saturday, has led to tight security around Lagos pilgrims so that more would not escape.

The passports of all Lagos pilgrims were collected from them immediately they stepped into the Tel Aviv Airport on the orders of the Nigeria Embassy in Israel to prevent pilgrims from absconding during the pilgrimage.

Officials of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission, NCPC and the Lagos State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board have been trying to cover up the defection, but members of the group where the pilgrims absconded have been discussing the matter over and over.

On Sunday, police escort, previously absent during tours across the holy land, have been accompanying Lagos pilgrims to other sites to ensure that no case of defection was recorded, while the guides, who led the pilgrims on tour of holy sites always ensured that pilgrims in their groups were counted after visit to each site.

Other pilgrims were told to keep an eye on their colleagues and report any suspected incident of defection to officials.

However, Lagos pilgrims have been receiving mixed treatment from the Israelis in the holy land due to the primitive ways some of the pilgrims, especially those from local governments in Lagos State comported themselves.

In most cases, many of them rushed for food and took excess, thus, denting the image of the country before white tourists. One of the pilgrims, instead of using a small cup to get orange juice, brought a two-litre plastic, an action that irked officials of the Jerusalem Gate Hotel.

At Intercontinental Bethlehem Hotel, after the first night in the massive edifice and due to the disgraceful conduct of Lagos pilgrims during dinner, they were taken to a secluded place for their dinner the following day by management of the hotel to prevent them from mixing with white tourists.

A protest by officials of the Lagos pilgrim board led the management of the hotel to change their mind and brought the pilgrims back to dine with their while colleagues.

At the Jerusalem Gate Hotel, Lagos pilgrims were frustrated when they moved in on Saturday as the Sabbath day observed by the Jews kept them at the hotel’s lobby for hours after a long day’s tour of some parts of Jerusalem.

The first batch of over 300 Lagos pilgrims are expected to arrrive the country tomorrow evening after spending 10 days in Israel.

Also, three female pilgrims from Kaduna State were also reported missing in Israel by officials.

The Director of Planning, Research and Statistics at the state’s Bureau for Christian Religious Affairs, Mr. Bulus Zakka, told newsmen in Israel that the three might have absconded.

Zakkah said two of the pilgrims were from the second batch of the pilgrims while one was from the first batch.

He said 1,000 pilgrims were attending the pilgrimage from the state.

The director said the details of the missing persons had been given to the Israeli authorities, who had initiated efforts to assist the board to locate them.

“We have reported to the security agents of Israel who are investigating and by the grace of God, they will be arrested.

“The security agencies are working round the clock to see that these people are arrested.”

The director said the missing pilgrims would be arrested and deported to the country as their details and profiles had been dispatched to the various security outfits in that country.

“We have been facing this problem and efforts to stop the attitude have proved abortive.

“That is why bus captains were directed to collect all the international passports in order to stop pilgrims from absconding.

“But now that this thing has continued, the board has no alternative than to make certain recommendations to the government, because it is the image of Kaduna State that is being dented,” he said.

The director said that recommendations would be made to the state government to ensure that non-indigenes wishing to participate in future exercise did so through their state rather than through Kaduna State.

“In the past, we have never had cases of indigenes of Kaduna absconding. Most of the absconders are from other parts of the country.”

The team leader, Tanko Tete, lamented the persistent cases of absconders recorded annually, urging the state government to forestall a re-occurrence.


http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2013/12/02/nigerian-pilgrims-abscond-in-israel/

Abscond in Israel? Those elements must be joking.
I pity them.
The Israelis will smoke them out and probably be humiliated, deported or use for experiments.

berem:
In most cases, many of them rushed for food and took excess, thus, denting the image of the country before white tourists. One of the pilgrims, instead of using a small cup to get orange juice, brought a two-litre plastic, an action that irked officials of the Jerusalem Gate Hotel.

Lwkmd!!! Somehow I find this hard to believe. This kind of greed is unimaginable

berem:
At Intercontinental Bethlehem Hotel, after the first night in the massive edifice and due to the disgraceful conduct of Lagos pilgrims during dinner, they were taken to a secluded place for their dinner the following day by management of the hotel to prevent them from mixing with white tourists.

A protest by officials of the Lagos pilgrim board led the management of the hotel to change their mind and brought the pilgrims back to dine with their while colleagues.

Lmao!! Nigerians enh. Una no dey hide unasef

Anyone that absconds in Israel of all places will find themselves to blame. Small but mighty troublemakers, they are blaady razists.

Ishilove:
Lwkmd!!! Somehow I find this hard to believe. This kind of greed is unimaginable


Lmao!! Nigerians enh. Una no dey hide unasef

E be like say na hunger dey pursue dem from Lagos

Ishilove:
Lwkmd!!! Somehow I find this hard to believe. This kind of greed is unimaginable


Lmao!! Nigerians enh. Una no dey hide unasef

Lol! We no dey carry last na! Imagine pesin go carry 2 litres of container to drink juice. I no fit laugh!

At Intercontinental Bethlehem Hotel, after the first night in the massive edifice and due to the disgraceful conduct of Lagos pilgrims during dinner, they were taken to a secluded place for their dinner the following day by management of the hotel to prevent them from mixing with white tourists.

A protest by officials of the Lagos pilgrim board led the management of the hotel to change their mind and brought the pilgrims back to dine with their while colleagues.

Jews are racists. I don't know why people go to their land for pilgrimage only to be segregated for their color and culture. Kudos to the Lagos pilgrim board for standing up for their pilgrims.

Firefire: Abscond in Israel? Those elements must be joking.
I pity them.
The Israelis will smoke them out and probably be humiliated, deported or use for experiments.

Na lie,undocumented immigrant full Israel doing fine..

adepojuot: Na lie,undocumented immigrant full Israel doing fine..

Why do I feel that you are one of them?

berem: Lol! We no dey carry last na! Imagine pesin go carry 2 litres of container to drink juice. I no fit laugh!

How person go carry jerrycan come drink juice? I don't believe it o. What happened to decorum? I refuse to believe Nigerians are so utterly shameless

berem: Lol! We no dey carry last na! Imagine pesin go carry 2 litres of container to drink juice. I no fit laugh!

[quote author=~Bluetooth]

Jews are racists. I don't know why people go to their land for pilgrimage only to be segregated for their color and culture. Kudos to the Lagos pilgrim board for standing up for their pilgrims.[/qu. stop talking rubbish did you read the news very well before you comment is only nigerian that went to pilgrimage? they want to proof they are smart or you think its nigeria where they can breach

~Bluetooth:


Jews are racists. I don't know why people go to their land for pilgrimage only to be segregated for their color and culture. Kudos to the Lagos pilgrim board for standing up for their pilgrims.

Indeed. Kudos to them also for carry jerrycan to drink juice when their mates were using glass cup. Dem for kukuma hire tanker na

The same racist Jewish country that's offering $3500 to Africans to vacate Israel? My eastern brothers don calculate 3500 times 165. Sharp guy!!!

~Bluetooth:


Jews are racists. I don't know why people go to their land for pilgrimage only to be segregated for their color and culture. Kudos to the Lagos pilgrim board for standing up for their pilgrims.

bros is it our culture to drink juice out of a 2 litre jerrycan or to rush at food like somali refugees ? The hotel people get to shame for the kind animals wey come lodge there na haba

You blame them? Me no blame them at all. With the situation in Nigeria,in Wyclef's voice"anything can happen".

Ishilove:
Indeed. Kudos to them also for carry jerrycan to drink juice when their mates were using glass cup. D

talktimi:
bros is it our culture to drink juice out of a 2 litre jerrycan or to rush at food like somali refugees ? The hotel people get to shame for the kind animals wey come lodge there na haba

em for kukuma hire tanker na

That is the problem with Nigerians. When you feel anything white, you suddenly forget who you are and go westernized even to jews . I've been to places and I've eaten with my hand but it has not taken away my identity. Pilgrimage is tourism and the israelis should know that the diversity of such will bring people of different cultures, traditions and races.

Why should people be forced to change their attitude or pretend to be who they are not just because they are in Israel on a religious mission which ought to break racial barriers and accept them for who they are for the few weeks ? How does coming to drink juice with a 2-litre cup compare to the seclusion/segregation they got ? The problem with some Nigerians is that you tend to downplay racial slur rather blaming it on your shortcomings. The saudis also receive people for pilgrimage, how come we don't hear of racial segregation like this against pilgrims ?
Nigerians lack decorum ? Yes does it warrant the seclusion ? NO !

If they are going to keep embarrassing people just because their culture differs from theirs, I guess they should include in their screening process procedures that would prevent those they consider unfit to mingle with white from coming to their country. Bloody racists !

hahaha. Nigeria we hail thee.

Sharp guyz....no dulling

babyosisi:

5 pilgrims absconded and only one named a ndubuisi was identified by name
So no be only nairaland carry the tribalism banner
How shameful

Looks like some children of Israel are desperately trying to return home

talktimi: His name is "Ndubuisi" but shey no surname ? Something stinks here abeg. Anyways i see no reason why the govt should sponsor pilgrimage of any kind at all. In fact arent there enough christians of Lagos origin to go on this their pilgrimage for an Ndubuisi to come and shorten their ration sef ?

Lagos should take the same leaf from Kaduna State Govt. who seem to be planning to checkmate the image denting by non-indigens from other states.

~Bluetooth:


That is the problem with Nigerians. When you feel anything white, you suddenly forget who you are and go westernized even to jews . I've been to places and I've eaten with my hand but it has not taken away my identity. Pilgrimage is tourism and the israelis should know that the diversity of such will bring people of different cultures, traditions and races.

Why should people be forced to change their attitude or pretend to be who they are not just because they are in Israel on a religious mission which ought to break racial barriers and accept them for who they are for the few weeks ? How does coming to drink juice with a 2-litre cup compare to the seclusion/segregation they got ? The problem with some Nigerians is that you tend to downplay racial slur rather blaming it on your shortcomings. The saudis also receive people for pilgrimage, how come we don't hear of racial segregation like this against pilgrims ?
Nigerians lack decorum ? Yes does it warrant the seclusion ? NO !

If they are going to keep embarrassing people just because their culture differs from theirs, I guess they should include in their screening process procedures that would prevent those they consider unfit to mingle with white from coming to their country. Bloody racists !

Pls do not justify blatant greediness and unruly behavior; yes admittedly the Jews are extremely racists but on this occasion (judging from the story) they can be excused for trying to hide away the embarrassing behavior of the Nigerian pilgrims from other tourists, and thereby protecting the image and reputation of their hotel-ling business for obviously attracting the wrong kind of guests.

BTW, the Saudi Arabs (and Arabs generally) are also racists in their own right, it becomes evident when you get to know them.
On the other hand, black Africans and Nigerians in particular need to first respect themselves before accusing others of racism - how do they expect to be treated as equals when some of them conduct themselves like animals.

~Bluetooth:


That is the problem with Nigerians. When you feel anything white, you suddenly forget who you are and go westernized even to jews . I've been to places and I've eaten with my hand but it has not taken away my identity. Pilgrimage is tourism and the israelis should know that the diversity of such will bring people of different cultures, traditions and races.

Why should people be forced to change their attitude or pretend to be who they are not just because they are in Israel on a religious mission which ought to break racial barriers and accept them for who they are for the few weeks ? How does coming to drink juice with a 2-litre cup compare to the seclusion/segregation they got ? The problem with some Nigerians is that you tend to downplay racial slur rather blaming it on your shortcomings. The saudis also receive people for pilgrimage, how come we don't hear of racial segregation like this against pilgrims ?
Nigerians lack decorum ? Yes does it warrant the seclusion ? NO !

If they are going to keep embarrassing people just because their culture differs from theirs, I guess they should include in their screening process procedures that would prevent those they consider unfit to mingle with white from coming to their country. Bloody racists !

from your diatribe, its obvious youre among those who attend owambe parties with polythene bags to pack left overs. Eating with the hands is an accepted practice but rushing after food and trying to siphon drinks meant for a large group of people is the height of greed and animalistic behavior and if i was the hotel management, i would have done the same thing.

Soon they will be turning themselves into immigration. Israelis are the biggest racist on earth!

I find it quite difficult to believe that one could afford USD 2000 for a pilgrimage trip and still be tripping for a common orange or whatever juice.

So much emphasis on white,food and inconsequential stuff in the write up. Na wao.

Jews are not allowed to travel to Saudi Arabia nor pray there but Arabs, Christians, Moslems, Buddhist etc are allowed to practice their culture and religions in Israel.

So much for your MOST racist.

biafranqueen: Soon they will be turning themselves into immigration. Israelis are the biggest racist on earth!

LOL!!!
Naija don taya dem nau

To all nigerians going 2 israel plz nd plz dont go near israel/palestine border,
I don warn u,

Naija no dey ever carry LAST

In most cases, many of them rushed for food and took excess, thus, denting the image of the country before white tourists. One of the pilgrims, instead of using a small cup to get orange juice, brought a two-litre plastic, an action that irked officials of the Jerusalem Gate Hotel.

I hope the land will be green for them