In the early hours of Tuesday, over 300 Christian Pilgrims, who were airlifted to the Kingdom of Jordan and Israel by the Lagos State Government for a pilgrimage exercise, safely arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
This marked the conclusion of the pilgrimage exercise for the first batch of Easter Christian pilgrims to the Holy Land of Jordan and Israel. These pilgrims had departed Lagos on the 30th of September, 2023.
During their arrival at the Airport in Ikeja, Bishop Stephen Adegbite, the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Lagos State Chapter, and leader of the pilgrims, expressed deep appreciation to Governor Sanwo-Olu for his exceptional leadership that made the pilgrimage possible. He also commended the Governor for his concern about the safety of the pilgrims, especially amidst the recent Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which has claimed numerous lives.
Bishop Adegbite emphasized that the successful completion of the pilgrimage in Israel, despite the unrest in some areas, is a testament to God’s special care for the pilgrims and for Lagos State and Nigeria as a whole.
Professor Rufus Adeyeye Oguntuase, the Vice Chairman of Lagos State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, echoed Governor Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to the safety of the pilgrims, noting that the suspension of the airlifting of the second batch of pilgrims demonstrates the government’s dedication to citizens’ safety.
Oguntuase expressed confidence that the prayers offered for the leadership of Lagos State and Nigeria during the pilgrimage will soon manifest in the lives of leaders across all branches of government in Nigeria.
Mrs. Florence Gbafe, the Board Secretary, expressed her joy that all pilgrims who participated in the journey returned to Nigeria without any casualties or abscondments.
Notably, due to the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the Holy Land, the second batch of Christian Pilgrims to Jordan and Israel, originally scheduled for airlifting on Tuesday, October 10th, 2023, has been postponed until a new date is announced.
