The executive secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission, Stephen Adegbite, says no Nigerian pilgrim to Israel will abscond during the 2025 pilgrimage exercise.

Mr Adegbite made the commitment in a statement on Tuesday after leading a delegation comprising members of the House of Representatives and ground handlers to the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a bilateral meeting.

Mr Adegbite explained that the meeting, held at the ministry’s headquarters in Jerusalem, focused on strengthening Nigeria’s bilateral relations with Israel.

“I am assuring that the commission will maintain zero abscondment of Nigerian pilgrims in Israel and uphold transparency in its dealings,” Mr Adegbite said.

The NCPC secretary expressed gratitude for the ministry’s cooperation in ensuring a safe and secure environment for Nigerian pilgrims. He highlighted the unprecedented participation of approximately 100 members of the House of Representatives in the executive pilgrimage.

He also expressed optimism that the initiative would become a recurring event.

Responding, Tania Berg-Rafaeli, director of the West and Central Africa Division at Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, commended the NCPC boss for his visionary leadership and quality guidance.

She praised Nigerian pilgrims for their good conduct and promised to collaborate with the Nigerian Embassy in Israel and the NCPC to foster robust bilateral relations.

Ms Berg-Rafaeti also hinted at a possible Bilateral Air Service Agreement between the two nations.

(NAN)