The Lagos state government has announced the return of 310 Nigerians who went on pilgrimage to Jerusalem Israel amid the ongoing crisis between Israel and Hamas.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu made this announcement on his X account (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, acknowledging the critical role of the Ministry of foreign affairs in ensuring the safety of the pilgrims.
A group of Christians from the state embarked on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, while another set of pilgrims is set to be airlifted to Israel today, October 10.
However, the program was suspended due to the recent outbreak of war between Hamas and Israel.
Following Hamas’ Saturday attack and a retaliatory response from Israeli forces, the conflict has tragically claimed the lives of over 1,000 individuals on both sides.
Taking to his X account, governor Sanwo-Olu stated,
- “I’m happy to announce that we have successfully airlifted and returned all three hundred and ten (310) citizens who went on pilgrimage to Jerusalem, Israel.
- “I want to thank you all for your concern, and I must also express my joy to our Ministry of Home Affairs for a job well done.
- “We pray for peace in Israel and indeed the world at large.”
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Earlier, the Board Secretary of the Lagos State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board (LSCPWB), Mrs. Florence Gbafe, announced the suspension of the planned Christian pilgrimage to Israel in a statement on Monday, saying that the decision was a result of keen observation of security situations in Israel.
She mentioned that both the LSCPWB and the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC) would soon unveil a revised schedule for the airlift of the second group of prospective pilgrims.
She expressed the board’s regret for any inconvenience the suspension may bring and assured that they would keep the prospective pilgrims well-informed about the progress of their journey to the Holy Land.
- “To all on the second batch of pilgrimage to Israel, kindly note that the pilgrimage is now on hold due to the war situation in Israel. Further information will be communicated as and when due please,” she said.
