PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
Nigerian pilgrims 'detained' in Jerusalem
Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - Seven Nigerian pilgrims to Israel, including two priests, were detained in Tel Aviv and maltreated by Israeli security officials for allegedly entering the country illegally, the local media reported Tuesday, quoting one of the pilgrims.
According to Rev. Father Anthony Zakka, they were arrested and hauled into detention on arrival at the airport in Tel Aviv on 15 Dec. and detained for 11 hours before they were released.
“We left Rome on December 15 for Israel. At 2.30a.m. Israeli time, we were arrested. Six of us were men with one woman, an official of Kaduna Pilgrims Welfare Board,'' Rev. Father Zakka said..
“We were accused of entering Israel illegally as, according to them, our names were not among those sent by the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC). Incidentally, while this was going on, NCPC officials who were with us did not do anything. They just walked away. This was at the Ben Gurion Airport.
“They took us to prison after stripping us. We were kept inside the prison with a Russian who had already spent six days there. They took away our clothes and took the woman to another section while they separated the rest of us into two groups and detained us separately,''
he said.
The priest added: “Some us who went for Jerusalem pilgrimage add JP after their names, but for us you will be free to call us Jerusalem Pilgrims Prisoner, JPP.”
-0- PANA SEG 27Dec2011
According to Rev. Father Anthony Zakka, they were arrested and hauled into detention on arrival at the airport in Tel Aviv on 15 Dec. and detained for 11 hours before they were released.
“We left Rome on December 15 for Israel. At 2.30a.m. Israeli time, we were arrested. Six of us were men with one woman, an official of Kaduna Pilgrims Welfare Board,'' Rev. Father Zakka said..
“We were accused of entering Israel illegally as, according to them, our names were not among those sent by the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC). Incidentally, while this was going on, NCPC officials who were with us did not do anything. They just walked away. This was at the Ben Gurion Airport.
“They took us to prison after stripping us. We were kept inside the prison with a Russian who had already spent six days there. They took away our clothes and took the woman to another section while they separated the rest of us into two groups and detained us separately,''
he said.
The priest added: “Some us who went for Jerusalem pilgrimage add JP after their names, but for us you will be free to call us Jerusalem Pilgrims Prisoner, JPP.”
-0- PANA SEG 27Dec2011
