From Gyang Bere, Jos
Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC) has airlifted 280 intending Christian pilgrims from Taraba and Gombe states from the Yola International Airport to Israel and Jordan.
NCPC Executive Secretary, Yakubu Pam, who addressed the intending pilgrims at the airport, expressed delight that pilgrims have been airlifted directly to the Holy Land since his assumption of office in 2020.
He thanked Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaiku, for sponsoring such number of Christians to the Holy Land despite all odds.
He described Ishaiku as a pilgrimage friendly governor who has eloquent testimonies of the benefits of Christian pilgrimage in his life.
Pam equally applauded Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Abubarkar, for supporting Christians in the state to embark on holy pilgrimage. He said though a Muslim, he saw the need to sponsor Christians so that they could go to the holy land to pray.
He urged intending pilgrims to be good ambassadors of Nigeria while in the holy land.
He warned them not to abscond, saying the commission had put every mechanism in place to make such act impossible.
He said the intending pilgrims would arrive Jordan first where they would commence their pilgrimage exercise and later proceed to Israel to continue their visit to the holy sites.
Chairman, Adamawa State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Peter Bartimaios, thanked Pam for the choice of Yola International Airport for the airlift of the intending pilgrims of Taraba and Gombe states.