By Chinedu Echianu
The Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC) has announced the resumption of Christian pilgrimage to Israel from November 23, 2026, following months of suspension occasioned by the security crisis in the Middle East.
Executive Secretary of the Commission, Bishop Stephen Adegbite, made the announcement in Abuja during a press conference, saying the decision followed the restoration of relative peace in Israel, Jordan and surrounding areas.
Adegbite explained that the Commission suspended pilgrimage activities in January due to the outbreak of hostilities in the region, stressing that the safety of Nigerian pilgrims remained its utmost priority.
He said: “We monitor events, we monitor developments in the Middle East, and to the glory of God, we now have relative peace.”
The NCPC boss, however, cautioned that the situation in the Middle East remained unpredictable, noting that pockets of violence had historically occurred in the region.
He recalled that the Commission had previously evacuated 254 Nigerians from Israel following the October 7, 2023 attacks, while another 534 Nigerians caught up in the latest conflict were safely evacuated through Jordan and Turkey.
Adegbite said the 2026 pilgrimage exercise would run from November 23 to December 31, with all Nigerian pilgrims expected to return to the country not later than January 9, 2027, ahead of the general election.
He declared: “I don’t negotiate safety. I will not allow any Nigerian to be outside the country while the election is going on.”
The Executive Secretary also disclosed that the Federal Government was subsidising pilgrimage costs for intending pilgrims, including those sponsored by state governments and private operators.
He attributed the Commission’s ability to sustain the subsidy to the support of President Bola Tinubu, adding that relevant government agencies, including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the National Security Adviser and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, had been formally notified of the planned exercise.
Adegbite said the 2026 pilgrimage would be conducted under the theme, Pilgrimage of Our Renewed Continuity of the Covenant, expressing confidence that it would provide participants with a rewarding spiritual experience.
He emphasised that pilgrimage was not a jamboree, insisting that the Commission had introduced measures to improve the quality and purpose of the exercise.
