Monday, March, 2 2026 - Five Christian pilgrims from Plateau State were denied entry into Israel after arriving in Jordan during the state’s 2026 Holy Land pilgrimage.
The affected pilgrims were among the first batch of 295
pilgrims who departed Nigeria to visit biblical sites associated with the life
and ministry of Jesus Christ.
However, they were stopped at the Jordan–Israel border after
authorities discovered their visas permitted entry only into Jordan.
Executive Secretary of the Plateau State Christian Pilgrims
Welfare Board, Rev. Wanson Yusufu Bagu, said the visa list was received shortly
before the pilgrims’ orientation and farewell ceremony, leaving little time to
address discrepancies.
“We could not resolve any issues due to the extremely short
notice. I later discovered that some pilgrims had been issued visas only for
Jordan and were denied entry to Israel. Had we known earlier, we could have
informed them in time, allowing them the option to either stay in Jordan or
cancel their trip entirely,” he said.
Rev. Bagu described the development as deeply disappointing,
noting that Israel represents a central destination for Christian pilgrims
because of its significance in the biblical account of Jesus’ birth, ministry,
and resurrection.
“To prepare spiritually and financially, only to be told at
the last minute that you cannot enter is very painful and unexpected,” he
added.
He explained that visa denials are not unusual in
international travel, stressing that such situations affect travellers across
different countries.
“Even wealthy individuals get denied visas for the UK or USA
and often have to reapply sometimes multiple times before succeeding. It is a
normal occurrence in international travel,” he said.
Rev. Bagu disclosed that the Israeli embassy had already
notified Jordanian authorities about the visa restriction, adding that
arrangements had been made to ensure the affected pilgrims were well
accommodated.
“As a result, the five pilgrims are not stranded as
Jordanian officials have arranged good hotel accommodation, meals for their
entire stay, dedicated cars with drivers, and tour guides. They will visit
significant biblical and historical sites in Jordan and remain engaged in
meaningful activities until the rest of the group completes their Israel
programme and return,” he said.
He further revealed that although the first batch was
initially planned to include 300 pilgrims, only 295 eventually travelled. He
added that three batches had been scheduled for the pilgrimage exercise.
According to him, the board forwarded 466 names to the
Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission for the second batch, with at least 350
pilgrims expected to depart on March 5, 2026, while another batch of about 350
pilgrims is planned, though its departure date has yet to be fixed.
Rev. Bagu also addressed concerns over alleged increases in
pilgrimage costs, clarifying that the Plateau State Government had not raised
its sponsorship contribution.
He attributed the rise in expenses to exchange rate
fluctuations, noting that similar challenges had previously affected Muslim
pilgrims undertaking the Hajj.
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