By Sarah NEGEDU
Abuja contingents for this year’s Christian pilgrimage to Israel and Jordan will be among the first batches of pilgrims to be airlifted back to Nigeria as the return exercise begins today.
According to the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission, NCPC, the FCT contingents are returning alongside participants from Benue, Edo, Taraba and Ondo states, marking the commencement of the 2025 delayed Easter Pilgrimage return flights.
They are expected to be airlifted back to the country after successfully completing their spiritual activities in Jordan.
Executive Secretary of the NCPC, Rt. Rev. Stephen Adegbite, who was represented by the spiritual leader of the contingents, Bishop Raphael Nwankwo, expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the pilgrims during their stay in the Holy Land.
He assured that adequate logistics and safety measures had been put in place to ensure a seamless airlift.
“The commission has worked closely with our partners in Jordan as well as Nigerian authorities to guarantee the safety and comfort of our pilgrims. We are confident that this first batch will arrive home safely, and subsequent flights will follow in quick succession,” he said.
Medical personnel and officials of the NCPC are accompanying the pilgrims to provide continuous support until their arrival in Nigeria.
This year’s Christian pilgrimage attracted hundreds of faithful from across the country, who embarked on the spiritual journey to retrace biblical sites, strengthen their faith, and pray for Nigeria’s peace and development.
Also speaking, the Director of the FCT Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Gloria Dandam, commended the pilgrims for their orderly conduct during the tour of the holy sites.
She noted that the commitment of officials of both the FCT Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board and NCPC was key to the seamless exercise.
