The 2024 Christian pilgrimage to Israel and Jordan was launched by President Bola Tinubu on Monday.
The airlift began on Sunday at Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos State, according to a statement by Celestine Toruka, Deputy Director and Head of Media and Public Relations.
The statement was published on the Commission’s official X handle, #NGChrisPilgComm, on Monday.
According to the statement, Tinubu, represented by Senator George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, urged pilgrims to see their journey as an opportunity to increase their trust in God.
He highlighted that the 2024 pilgrimage’s theme, “Pilgrimage of Renewed Hope for Total Restoration,” is consistent with his administration’s vision and mission.
The president also warned pilgrims from fleeing while in the Holy Land, emphasising that there is no better place than home.
He encouraged them to pray for Lagos State and Nigeria in general.
The statement read, “The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu @officialABAT, flagged off the 2024 main Christian pilgrimage exercise to Israel and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on 22nd December 2024 at Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.
Tinubu, speaking through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume @SGFAkume, stressed the importance of prayer and the purity of religion. He exhorted the aspiring Christian pilgrims to view their journey as an opportunity to deepen their faith in God.
He reaffirmed that the theme of the 2024 NCPC main pilgrimage, ‘Pilgrimage of Renewed Hope for Total Restoration,’ is appropriate because it is consistent with his administration’s vision and strategy.
He advised the pilgrims to pray for the advancement of Nigeria, Lagos State, and their families.
The President also warned them not to flee to the Holy Land, noting that Nigeria is their fatherland and there is no place greater than home.”
Meanwhile, Bishop Stephen Adegbite, the executive secretary of the NCPC, observed in his welcome address that this was his first exercise as the Commission’s fourth substantive secretary.
Adegbite, who took office on February 5, 2024, reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to facilitating pilgrimages to holy sites worldwide in accordance with the NCPC 2007 enabling Act of the National Assembly.
He encouraged pilgrims to be humble, pious, and decorous during their journey and assured them of excellent services provided by the Commission’s staff.
The statement added, “He warned against absconding, noting that the Commission strongly frowns on such behaviour.
According to him, ‘The Commission under my watch seriously frowns upon it, and whoever is found culpable will face the consequences, including their guarantors, whose names, along with those of the absconders, will be blacklisted and published in national newspapers.’
He thanked Tinubu for creating an enabling environment for pilgrimages to thrive in Nigeria and for his unprecedented support of the Commission.
“The first batch of 260 intending pilgrims from Lagos State for the 2024 main pilgrimage was airlifted, with a total of 350 officials and pilgrims on the flight,” the statement further read.
