Nigeria lifts ban on Christian pilgrimages to Israel

The Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC) announced the removal of its February ban on Christian pilgrimages to Israel after a security assessment by its Executive Secretary, Bishop Stephen Adegbite. Adegbite, who spent three days in Jerusalem, said the Holy Land was peaceful and that pilgrims could now travel via Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv. Routes through Jordan remain suspended because of ongoing security concerns.

The ban had been imposed amid heightened tensions from the US‑Israel‑Iran conflict, which disrupted flights and prompted several governments to halt religious travel. The NCPC said the decision restores state‑backed and private pilgrimage operations for the 2026 calendar, and Bishop Adegbite offered prayers for national unity and for President Bola Tinubu and his administration.