Nigeria Suspends Christian Pilgrimages to Israel and West Bank Amid Middle East Conflict
Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission cites safety concerns after escalation of US-Israel strikes on Iran and regional retaliations.
- Nigeria suspends all Christian pilgrimages to Israel and the West Bank over security concerns.
- Around 600 Nigerian pilgrims in the Holy Land were evacuated to Jordan and returned home.
- The suspension affects state-organised trips and private tours, lasting until regional stability returns.
Nigeria has suspended all Christian pilgrimages to Israel and the occupied West Bank with immediate effect due to security concerns arising from the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
The decision was announced by the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), which coordinates both state-organised and private pilgrimages.
The commission said the measure was necessary to prioritise the safety and comfort of Nigerian pilgrims.
The conflict intensified after US and Israeli strikes on Iran killed its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran responded with attacks on Israel and US-allied states in the Gulf. Many flights in the region have been cancelled as countries closed airspace, leaving travelers stranded.
Rev John Hayab told the BBC that all Nigerian pilgrims in Israel and the West Bank—about 600 had been evacuated to Jordan and then returned to Nigeria since the conflict began on Saturday.
The suspension remains in effect until regional security stabilizes, affecting both official and private pilgrimages. Thousands of Nigerian Christians travel each year to Biblical sites such as Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Nazareth, often saving for years to make the spiritually significant journey. Easter, which falls next month, is one of the peak pilgrimage periods.
The disruption has also affected Nigerian Muslims seeking to perform the Umrah in Saudi Arabia. Unlike the Hajj, Umrah can be performed year-round but involves a shorter set of rites.
Alhaji Zaharaddeen Abubakar, stranded in Kano, said: “I wish to be there too, but I can’t at the moment. I’m still hoping.”
Alhaji Musa Rabi’u Muhammed, head of Murna Travel Agency in Kano State, added: “Some of our people had even boarded planes ready for take-off, but they had to be brought back down, and now they are at home.”
