NCPC Praises God For Successful Easter Pilgrimage Exercise Completion

The Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission, NCPC on Monday, 16th October, 2023 rolled out the drums in thanksgiving to God for the successful Easter pilgrimage completion Exercise.

The development was reported in a press release issued by the Deputy Director and Head, Media and Public Relations, Celestine Toruka.

The event which took place at the Commission’s Chapel in Abuja was celebrated with pomp and pageantry by the management and staff of the Commission, including the zonal staff who participated virtually.

In his exhortation, the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission, Rev. Dr. Yakubu Pam stated that there is power in thanksgiving.

He affirmed that the Commission had every reason to Thank God for his mercies and favours over the pilgrimage activities of the Commission.

He explained that the fifth batch of over 300 pilgrims who arrived Nigeria from Israel on 9th October, 2023 returned safe and sound without any issue. He added that they all came back without experiencing any casualty despite the escalation of crisis in Southern Israel.

The NCPC boss further maintained that the Commission had every reason to thank God for the support President Bola Tinubu gave to the Commission which enabled the Commission to effectively prosecute the 2023 Easter pilgrimage completion exercise successfully.

In the words of the NCPC boss, “Easter Pilgrimage is over, we finished successfully our Easter pilgrimage without casualties’’. He disclosed that the Easter pilgrimage exercise did not record any single case of abscondment, rather he said that a pilgrim was deported from Israel for attempting to abscond.

Rev. Pam hinted that the Commission would soon commence preparations for the 2023 December Main pilgrimage exercise and that the remaining pilgrims who could not make it to Israel due to the suspension of the last batch of Easter Pilgrimage Completion exercise would join the main pilgrimage in December 2023.

He reiterated that the Commission suspended the last batch of the Easter pilgrimage Completion exercise on 10th October, 2023 following the escalation of hostilities in Southern Israel and bearing in mind the Commission’s stance on the safety of our pilgrims.

He revealed that the Commission would soon hold a meeting of the Conference of States on 31st October, 2023, that is the State Pilgrimage leaders and Managers with church leaders to pray for peace in the Middle East and in particular Israel and Jordan.

According to him”, it is our prayer today that the Middle East will have peace so that we will be able to carry out our mandate of pilgrimage in Israel and Jordan”, he said.

Rev. Pam used the opportunity of the thanksgiving to appreciate the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator George Akume for his effective supervisory role over the Commission as well as the State Pilgrimage Leaders and Managers for their support and cooperation.