By Martha Nyam

Three hundred Christian pilgrims departed Nigeria on Thursday on a nine-day pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

They were drawn from Plateau, Kwara, Osun and Ekiti states.

Rev. Yakubu Pam, Executive Secretary, Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), charged them to abide by the rules and regulations of the exercise as they were departing from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja,

Pam was represented by the Director of Administration at the NCPC, Mr Sunny Ebiyabo.

He said the pilgrims were the 10th batch and the last for the year 2022.

He advised the pilgrims to regard the pilgrimage as an opportunity to get closer to God and urged them to offer prayers for the country while in the Holy Land.

“We are here to bid farewell to the pilgrims going to Jordan and Israel to visit holy sites of the teaching of Jesus Christ as recorded in the Bible.

“This is the 10th and last batch for year 2022. I encourage you to regard the pilgrimage as an opportunity to be closer to God and to offer prayers for the country.

“The pilgrims will visit holy sites in Jordan and Israel respectively, hoping that no-one regards the exercise as a jamboree, but as an opportunity to offer prayers for peace of the country,’’ he said.

In a short exhortation, Rev. Fr. Polycarp Lubo, Chairman of Plateau chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), noted that the pilgrimage was very vital in the life of every believer.

Lubo charged the pilgrims to be good ambassadors of Nigeria and consider the holy visit as time for prayers.

One of the pilgrims, Mrs Asabe Zore, thanked the government for giving her the opportunity to visit holy sites in Jordan and in Israel.

She promised to use the exercise to offer prayers for peace and unity in Nigeria.