The Federal Government has announced the immediate suspension of all pilgrimages to Israel due to the security situation in the Middle East. The Executive Secretary of Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), Stephen Adegbite, in a statement yesterday, said the measure was necessary because the Commission prioritises the safety and comfort of Nigerian pilgrims.

“The recent developments in the Middle East, including the imposition of a state of emergency in Israel, have led to the putting on hold of all pilgrimage exercises.

This also includes the ones being conducted by the private pilgrimage operators until the situation normalises. The NCPC is monitoring the situation closely and appreciates the cooperation of stakeholders and the media,” he said.

Adegbite urged everyone to pray for peace in Jerusalem and the Middle East. He revealed that the Commission has successfully concluded the 2025 main pilgrimage exercise to Israel and Jordan. He said the last batch of Christian pilgrims arrived safely at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos yesterday.

The Executive Secretary expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, for their support.

“Without the President’s support, we would not have been able to conduct the five pilgrimages conducted since my appointment two years ago,” he added. Meanwhile, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has promised the safety of Nigerians in the Middle East. The Commission says Nigerian authorities are monitoring the situation with a view to taking the necessary action.

The Commission further said Nigerian authorities are monitoring the situation and have received calls “from a few Nigerians in Qatar, UAE, and Iran enquiring about preparations for evacuations when it becomes necessary. “The fact of the matter is that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working with all relevant agencies for appropriate steps, while appealing to Nigerians in the affected countries to follow the travel advice as issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and contact the emergency numbers provided by the ministry.

“Nigerians in affected countries should be rest assured that the Federal Government is monitoring the situation and will take necessary steps to ensure no Nigerian life is endangered,” NiDCOM assured in a statement by its Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols, Abdur-Rahman Balogun. The US and Israel launched strikes on Iran in the early hours of Saturday. But the Iranian authorities retaliated and later carried out strikes in some Gulf countries.