11th February, 2011
Three Kaduna pilgrims have absconded while performing the 2011 Holy pilgrimage in Israel.
P.M.News learnt that Innocent Eze and Paul Nwodo were the first to abscond on Sunday, 6 February, eight days after they arrived the Holy city for the pilgrimage.
Then later, on Monday 7 , Emmanuel Eze also disappeared. At least 196 members of the batch five pilgrims came from the state.
According to Innocent Eze’s room mate , Habila Mafwalal, the first two that absconded – Eze and Nwodo – displayed some suspicious character that shows that they were not in Israel for pilgrimage but for other business. He said he was not surprised when he waited on Sunday, 6 February late into the night for their return from the market , which never happened.
The 67-year old Mafwalal further hinted that the two pilgrims claimed they were going to purchase battery for Eze’s handset at about 8pm Israel local time and did not return to the Jerusalem Gold Hotel where they were lodged.
P.M.News gathered that Chibueze seem prepared to abscond from the first day he arrived Israel. His room mate Pastor Bulus Ishaya told P.M.News that he made regular calls and always told him that life in Israel was good and he would not mind remaining there after the pilgrimage.
According to Ishaya, immediately he discovered after dinner that Chibueze was no where to found, he alerted the team leader, Mrs. Esther Jock.
Mrs. Jock, who confirmed the three cases to P.M.News, said it is unfortunate that people abused the privilege given to them by the state government to embark on Holy pilgrimage
She promised that efforts were being made to fish them out as soon as possible. She however, informed that their international Passports have been seized and the case reported to the appropriate authorities for action.
—Femi Adi/Israel