The Kaduna State has witnessed its first ever airlift of Christian pilgrims from the state to Israel to perform holy pilgrimage.

The airlift was witnessed by the state Governor, Dr. Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, who led other top officials of the State Government to bid the intending pilgrims farewell.

Speaking at the farewell ceremony, the Governor said the present administration in the state had increased the number of Christian pilgrims being sponsored by the state from 468 in 2013 to 567 in 2014, representing a 19% increase.

He said the state Government was committed to ensuring that all sections of the state were treated fairly, adding that “we are determined to improve the well being of our people at all times and we shall remain unbiased in providing support to the people.”

The governor also cautioned the pilgrims to be good ambassadors of the country while in the Holy Land saying “you must not indulge in any action capable of tarnishing the image of Kaduna State and Nigeria.
“I urge you to use the period of the holy pilgrimage to pray for peace in the country, especially as we approach the 2015 general elections.”

Governor Yero congratulated the pilgrims for the opportunity to embark on the divine assignment and prayed for their safe return from Israel at the end of the pilgrimage.

Also speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission, Mr. John Kennedy Opara praised Governor Yero for his support to the Christian pilgrimage exercise in Kaduna State.

He said it was through the governor’s commitment that Kaduna State intending pilgrims could now fly to Israel directly from Kaduna for the first time since inception of the pilgrimage.

Speaking at the farewell ceremony, the Governor said the present administration in the state had increased the number of Christian pilgrims being sponsored by the state from 468 in 2013 to 567 in 2014, representing a 19% increase

GboyegaD:
Is this not a waste of resources? People are dying of hunger and our government is busy spending money on pilgrimage. The most annoying is that despite our high taste for religious affiliations, we are not any better than countries with less affinity for religious activities. Indeed, ours is a blunder of "religion without sacrifice".

GboyegaD:
Is this not a waste of resources? People are dying of hunger and our government is busy spending money on pilgrimage. The most annoying is that despite our high taste for religious affiliations, we are not any better than countries with less affinity for religious activities. Indeed, ours is a blunder of "religion without sacrifice".