By Philomina Attah, NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA
The Executive Secretary, Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC), Bishop Stephen Adegbite, has assured the adequate safety of intending pilgrims from Nigeria in the coming exercise, adding that the commission would henceforth be conducting two pilgrimage exercise in a year, for Easter and November.
Adegbite made the disclosure on Wednesday in Abuja during a news conference where he briefed journalists on situations surrounding the Israel and Gaza war, following fears that had griped pilgrims to travel for the exercise.
The NCPC boss, who, according to him, just returned from a trip in Israel, also used the medium to clear the air and assured Nigerian pilgrims of their safety during the exercise.
“We are starting with this pilgrimage that is open now, and we are going to close it up by July.
“Then we have the main pilgrimage that will start from November, and that will also end by February.
“So pilgrimage in Nigeria for Christian community is no longer every month where 10 to 20 people will go, we are going to do it twice. And that is what we are known for in the past,” he said.
Adegbite said during his sojourn within the Israel city, he hardly heard a gunshot or disruption of people and vehicular movement within the period of his stay within where the exercise would be carried out.
“Where we are going to Israel, you can never hear any gunshot. I travelled from Israel to Jordan by road, that journey is about three to four hours, and everybody go about their normal business.
“Nobody is disturbing anybody, and there is no restriction for gathering, no restriction for movement.
“If there will be any issue, Israel will not even allow people to come. There was a time they restricted people from visiting the war zones so as to tackle the challenge by themselves.
“For now, they have re-opened the borders, places have been opened, the life that is going on in Israel you will not believe it, that is why I went to see things myself,” he explained.
He advised the pilgrims not to express fears, assuring that the commission had made plans to ease the movement of pilgrims throughout the exercise both within the country and in Israel land. (NAN)