On Tuesday, the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission, NCPC, flew about 280 Christian pilgrims from the states of Taraba and Gombe to Israel and Jordan from the Yola International Airport.
Before their departure, NCPC Executive Secretary Yakubu Pam spoke to the incoming pilgrims at the Yola International Airport and expressed his joy that this was the first time since taking office in 2020 that pilgrims would be flown directly to the Holy Land.
Pam expressed her gratitude to Taraba State’s executive governor, Darius Ishaiku, for sponsoring the pilgrimage of so many Christians to the Holy Land despite all odds.
He characterized Gov. Ishiaku as a pro-pilgrimage governor who has given moving accounts of the advantages of Christian pilgrimage in his own life.
Pam also commended Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, the executive governor of Gombe State, for encouraging the state’s Christians to travel on a holy pilgrimage at this particular time.
Though a Moslem, the Governor saw the need to sponsor Christians so they could travel to the Holy Land to pray, the speaker said.
The NCPC leader warned the prospective pilgrims to represent Nigeria well while they were in the Holy Land.
He said, “You should conduct yourself decently while on Pilgrimage because we are concerned about the image of Nigeria during Pilgrimage.”
He added that the image of Nigeria, not the image of any pilgrim or state, is what matters outside of the country.
Pam warned them against evading arrest because the Commission had put all necessary safeguards in place to prevent it.
He also expressed his pride in them for participating in the December 2022 pilgrimage to Israel and Jordan and for having faith in Nigeria.
The intended pilgrims, he revealed, would first arrive in Jordan, where they would begin their exercise, and then they would travel to Israel to continue their visit to the Holy Sites.
