{
  "id": 14760746,
  "title": "Akpabio: I have sent over 5000 persons to Mecca",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/akpabio-i-have-sent-over-5000-persons-to-mecca",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-15T17:55:07.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Trust",
    "slug": "daily-trust",
    "url": "https://dailytrust.com/akpabio-i-have-sent-over-5000-persons-to-mecca/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Senate President Godswill Akpabio has clarified that he has sent over 5,000 individuals to perform the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca over the past 25 years. During plenary discussions on Thursday, Akpabio faced criticism for his remarks during the legislative review of the Suicide Prevention Bill 2026, which suggested that young people contemplate suicide due to \"believing seven virgins await them in the afterlife.\" Akpabio argued that his comments should be understood within the context of the Senate's deliberations and emphasized that disagreements among lawmakers were a natural part of the legislative process. The senator insisted that he loves the Muslim religion and continues to send people to Mecca for prayer, stating that such actions were not intended to disparage any religious beliefs. He also denied allegations that his statements were taken out of context or misinterpreted for political purposes, reaffirming his commitment to supporting religious pilgrimages and his personal relationships with Muslims.",
  "summary": "Senate President Godswill Akpabio says he has supported Muslim pilgrimages to Mecca for 25 years and would not disparage the religion. Speaking during plenary on Thursday, Akpabio said he had consistently sent people to the holy city to pray for him and Nigeria, insisting that his remarks during legislative proceedings had been taken out of […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}