FG suspends Christian pilgrimages to Israel over Middle East conflict

Nigerian authorities have suspended all pilgrimages to Israel and the occupied West Bank with immediate effect over escalating security concerns in the Middle East.

The decision was announced by the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), the body responsible for coordinating Christian pilgrimages from Nigeria.

In a statement, the commission said the measure was necessary to prioritise the “safety and comfort” of Nigerian pilgrims.

The conflict in the region has intensified following strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran, which reportedly killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country’s supreme leader.

Iran has since launched retaliatory attacks on Israel and US-allied states in the Gulf, raising fears of a wider regional conflict.

Air travel across the Middle East has also been disrupted as several countries shut their airspace, leading to the cancellation of multiple international flights.

The NCPC said the suspension covers pilgrimages organised by state governments as well as those arranged by private tour operators.

Officials said the restriction will remain in place until the security situation in the region improves.

Thousands of Nigerian Christians travel annually to biblical sites in Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Nazareth as part of religious pilgrimages.

The trips, often coordinated or subsidised by state governments, are considered an important part of Nigeria’s religious calendar.

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, has a large Christian population, particularly in the southern region.

Easter, which falls in about a month, is one of the most popular periods for Nigerian Christians to visit Israel and the West Bank.