The Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC) during the weekend, airlifted another batch of 300 pilgrims from Plateau State to the Holy land in Israel to observe pilgrimage.
This is just as the Executive Secretary of NCPC, Reverend Uja Tor Uja said that currently, 2 pilgrims from Lagos and Enugu absconded in Israel, he expressed optimism that they would come back.
Addressing journalists during the airlifting of the pilgrims at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Reverend Uja said that security measures have been put in place to ensure zero abscondment this time.
“We have intensified our screening, we have worked completed to overhaul the structures, and we believe that by the end of this pilgrimage, we can tell you how far we have gone, but so far we have lifted a few thousands and just two people absconded, one from Lagos, one from Enugu, they may end up not being absconders, they may return by the time the last planes are returning.
“But so far, two have absconded, that’s the tell you the intensity of the work we have done, and how much we are going about it, I believe that as we progress, zero abscondment is possible, that’s our target, that’s our goal.
“Today we have about 300 people on board, they are from Plateau state. Plateau state has the largest number of pilgrims this year, they have 1700 pilgrims, and they will be going on about 5 separate batches, this plane takes about 364 persons,” Reverend Uja said.
He charged the pilgrims to come back with not just knowledge of the Bible and prayerful attitude, but also tap into the technology and infrastructure advancement of Israel to help in building Nigeria.
ALSO READ:Â 2018 Hajj: Over 19, 000 Nigerian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia
“We expect that Christian pilgrims will lead the pathway for the re-engineering of Nigeria, because they are going to Israel which is the bedrock of Christianity, they are going to the place that began Christianity and ends not only Christianity but the affair of the world, and because of that, God has blessed Israel and made them advance in different areas of development
“In agriculture, infrastructure, technology, security, social order and definition of national ethos, we expect that pilgrims will come back both with the knowledge of the Bible and with a prayerful attitude and also tolerance from the advancement God has given to Israel and to make Nigeria a greater place.
“Because of the program of God for Nigeria, we need pilgrims to lead the way to show that God when he touches a nation, that nation will be different forever, we want Christian pilgrims to begin to lead the way for revolution, development, for advancement, and above all to improve the spiritual tempo of the church in Nigeria,” he said.
While commending the Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, the NCPC boss charged other governors to always sponsor people to pilgrimage to pray for their states and Nigeria.
“We commend the people of Plateau, we commend the Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong for supporting his state and supporting the church and pushing his people to pilgrimage, he himself is coming on this pilgrimage and we believe that great things will take place in Plateau State, and we encourage Governors to support people to go and pray for them and pray for this nation, this nation needs prayers at this time, this nation needs God to lighten up our dark places,” he added.
and then