New Nigerian Newspapers Online Edition

The Executive Secretary, Kaduna state Christian pilgrim board, Mr Bulus Ayuba Waziri has said that about 1,000 Christians have performed the 2009 pilgrimage in four different batches airlifted to the holy land.

Speaking to the New Nigerian on Sunday, the executive secretary said about 20 people are yet to be airlifted to the holy land, adding that as soon as a permission is given from Abuja, the rest of the pilgrims would be airlifted to the holy land.

He said, a member of the board died in the holyland while no case of abscondment has been reported, just as the exercise has been carried out as planned while the conduct of the pilgrims have been impressive.

The challenges faced by the pilgrims, he said, was the change of weather pilgrims face in the holy land, while others face problems with the type of food presented to them and above all, pilgrims do not face much problems in Jerusalem.

He called on Christian pilgrims to see the exercise as one of the challenges they need to go through in order to strengthen their faith in the God while calling on those yet to go to bear with the situation as they are looking forward to see what can be done by Abuja to give the state a chance to travel like others.