The Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC) has successfully launched its 2025 main pilgrimage exercise, marking a significant logistical advancement with the airlift of the first contingent of intending pilgrims to Israel and Jordan.
In a statement released on Tuesday in Abuja and signed by Celestine Toruka, Head of Media and Public Relations, the Executive Secretary of the NCPC, Mr. Stephen Adegbite, announced the commencement of the airlift from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport. This year’s exercise is distinguished by a major upgrade in air transport capacity, a development poised to streamline the pilgrimage process for thousands of Nigerian Christians.
A Landmark in Pilgrimage Logistics: The Boeing 777-300
Adegbite highlighted the Commission’s procurement of a Boeing 777-300 aircraft, the highest seating capacity commercial aircraft ever operated for this purpose in Nigeria. With a capacity for approximately 525 passengers, this represents a strategic shift towards more efficient mass movement.
Context & Impact: Traditionally, pilgrimages require multiple flights with smaller aircraft, stretching logistical timelines and resources. The use of this wide-body jet allows the NCPC to airlift a larger number of pilgrims in a single operation, significantly reducing the total duration of the airlift phase. This efficiency translates to better-coordinated ground arrangements in the Holy Land and a more cohesive experience for pilgrim groups. It is a tangible example of the Commission’s focus on improving scale and operational smoothness.
Attributing Success: Acknowledgment of Support
Mr. Adegbite was quick to attribute this achievement to a network of support. He extended gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, whose backing he described as essential for the execution of not just the 2025 main pilgrimage, but also the preceding 2024 main and 2025 Easter exercises. This underscores the pilgrimage’s status as a national program of cultural and religious significance, requiring sustained governmental commitment.
Further acknowledgments were made to Nigeria’s First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, Vice President Sen. Kashim Shettima, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume. A special commendation was reserved for the Governor of Bauchi State, Sen. Bala Muhammed, whom Adegbite praised as “one of the best Christian Pilgrimage friendly Governors in the North East” for his consistent sponsorship of pilgrims from the state. This highlights the critical, often underreported, role of state governments in enabling citizen participation in this spiritual journey.
Admonition and Assurance to Pilgrims
While assuring the intending pilgrims that all arrangements had been made for a successful exercise, the NCPC boss coupled this with a dual charge. He urged them to be “good ambassadors of Christ and Nigeria,” emphasizing the pilgrimage as both a spiritual retreat and a diplomatic encounter where national image is shaped by individual conduct.
More pointedly, Adegbite issued a firm admonition against absconding—the act of pilgrims overstaying their visas or disappearing in the host countries. He stated that the Commission had “put every mechanism in place to discourage same.” Practical Implications: This reminder is a standard but crucial part of pre-pilgrimage briefings. Mechanisms to deter absconding typically include stricter documentation checks, coordinated tracking with host country authorities, and potential penalties for sponsors or states with high abscondment rates. It serves to protect the integrity of the pilgrimage program and ensure continued bilateral cooperation with Israel and Jordan.
The successful airlift of this first batch sets a positive tone for the 2025 pilgrimage season, demonstrating the NCPC’s focus on enhanced capacity and operational efficiency while reaffirming the spiritual and nationalistic expectations placed upon the pilgrims themselves.
Source: NAN (Edited by Sandra Umeh)
