The Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC) has lifted its suspension on Christian pilgrimage to Israel, paving the way for Nigerian pilgrims to resume visits to the Holy Land.
The announcement was made on Saturday by the Executive Secretary of the NCPC, Bishop Prof. Stephen Adegbite, during a visit to the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem.
According to a statement issued by the Commission’s Director of Media and Public Relations, Celestine Toruka, the suspension introduced in February 2026 following the US-Israel-Iran conflict has now been removed.
“I promised everyone that I will be here to see what is happening in the Holy Land. I have been here in the last three days. The Holy Land is peaceful. Jerusalem is at peace and will continue to be at peace.
“The ban on Christian pilgrimage from Nigeria to Israel is hereby lifted from today,” Adegbite said.
The NCPC clarified that Nigerian pilgrims will travel through Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv. The Commission said it would not route pilgrims through Jordan, citing ongoing security concerns.
Adegbite expressed confidence in the safety of the pilgrimage, stating that previous groups of Nigerian pilgrims had returned home safely and that he expected the 2026 pilgrimage exercise to follow the same pattern.
He also offered prayers for peace in Jerusalem and Nigeria, praying for President Bola Tinubu, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, government officials, and all six geopolitical zones of the country.
The announcement marks the official resumption of Christian pilgrimages to Israel after several months of suspension prompted by regional security concerns.
