Five Plateau pilgrims barred from Israel over visa mix-up amid Middle East tension

 

Five Christian pilgrims from Plateau State have been denied entry into Israel after arriving in Jordan for the 2026 Holy Land pilgrimage due to visa discrepancies, officials have confirmed.

The affected pilgrims were part of the first batch of 295 participants who travelled from Nigeria to visit biblical sites connected to the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. They were, however, stopped at the Jordan–Israel border when authorities discovered their visas permitted entry only into Jordan.

Executive Secretary of the Plateau State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Rev. Wanson Yusufu Bagu, disclosed that the visa list was received shortly before the pilgrims’ orientation and farewell ceremony, leaving insufficient time to correct the error.

According to him, the issue could not be resolved before departure, as the discrepancy was noticed too late to notify the affected pilgrims or allow them reconsider their travel plans.

He described the development as painful and disappointing, noting that Israel remains the central destination for Christian pilgrims because of its biblical significance, particularly in relation to the birth, ministry and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Rev. Bagu explained that visa denials are common in international travel and not peculiar to the pilgrimage exercise, adding that travellers across the world often face similar challenges and may need to reapply.

He further revealed that Israeli authorities had earlier notified Jordanian officials of the visa restriction, assuring that the five pilgrims were not stranded.

According to him, Jordanian authorities provided hotel accommodation, feeding arrangements, transportation and tour guides to enable the pilgrims visit notable biblical and historical sites within Jordan while awaiting the completion of the Israel leg of the pilgrimage by the rest of the group.

The board secretary also disclosed that although 300 pilgrims were initially scheduled for the first batch, only 295 eventually travelled.

He added that three batches had been planned for the 2026 pilgrimage, with 466 names already forwarded to the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission for the second batch. About 350 pilgrims are expected to depart on March 5, while another batch of similar size is being planned, with its departure date yet to be announced.

Reacting to concerns over increased pilgrimage costs, Rev. Bagu clarified that the Plateau State Government had not raised its sponsorship contribution, attributing the higher expenses to foreign exchange fluctuations, a challenge he said had previously affected Muslim pilgrims during Hajj operations.