The Nigerian government has halted pilgrimage by Christians to Israel following the ongoing war between Israel and Iran.
Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), the statutory body responsible for coordinating Christian pilgrimages from Nigeria to Israel and other holy sites worldwide announced this on Tuesday.
NCPC said there would be no further pilgrimage to Israel until the Israel/Iran conflict is resolved in a statement signed by the Executive Secretary of the commission, Bishop Stephen Adegbite on Tuesday in Abuja.
The statement was signed by Mr Celestine Toruka, Deputy Director and Head Media and Public Relations, NCPC.
Adegbite while addressing circulating reports claiming that Nigerian pilgrims are currently in Israel for pilgrimage activities, refuted the claims.
He clarified that no Nigerian Christian pilgrims were in Israel, as the Commission’s 2024 main pilgrimage exercise to Israel and Jordan concluded in March 2025.
Given the ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran, which escalated on June 13, no Christian pilgrimage will occur in Israel until the crisis is resolved.
The Commission is closely monitoring the situation, he said.
