Bishop Stephen Adegbite, Executive Secretary of the NCPC, disclosed the details on Sunday, stating, “10,000 pilgrims have registered, and each paid N3 million. The pilgrimage will last for 10 days.”
The December pilgrimage marks the first Christian pilgrimage in 2024 after earlier plans were postponed multiple times. Originally scheduled for March, the pilgrimage faced delays, including the cancellation of the Easter pilgrimage to Israel and Jordan due to various logistical challenges.
Previously, the NCPC announced that the President’s wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, would lead the delegation. However, the plan was later revised.
Celestine Toruka, the NCPC’s Deputy Director and Head of Media and Public Relations, reaffirmed in November that the airlift would begin on December 22. The commission had encountered several setbacks earlier in the year, including safety concerns and cost adjustments.
In May, the cost of the Easter pilgrimage was raised from N3 million to N4.8 million, but no new date was provided at the time. Despite these challenges, Adegbite remained optimistic throughout the year, assuring stakeholders that the pilgrimage would take place before year-end.
The 10-day pilgrimage will include visits to significant religious sites in Jordan and Turkey before the pilgrims return to Nigeria.
