The Niger State government has commenced preparations for the 2026 Christian pilgrimage to Jerusalem in Israel, reviving the state-sponsored exercise more than 10 years after its suspension.
The development follows a directive from Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago to the Niger State Pilgrims’ Welfare Board to intensify preparations for the pilgrimage, which was suspended in May 2016 under the administration of former Governor Abubakar Sani Bello.
The previous administration cited economic challenges and insecurity in the Middle East as reasons for halting general state sponsorship of Christian pilgrimages to holy land. The board has begun coordinating arrangements to ensure the smooth conduct of the 2026 exercise.
As part of the preparations, the board held a strategic meeting involving its members and staff of the Christian Department at its headquarters in Minna. The meeting was convened by the executive secretary of the board, Muhammad Aliyu, who was represented by the director of administration, Ado Bello.
In his welcome address, Bello said the engagement was designed to strengthen collaboration between board members and operational staff to ensure effective coordination of the pilgrimage under the Bago administration’s New Niger Agenda.
He also reaffirmed the board’s commitment to inclusive administration, stressing that its Christian and Muslim departments shared a common responsibility to provide effective services and promote pilgrims’ welfare. Bello identified early planning, unity and accountability as essential to the successful implementation of the 2026 programme.
The director of administration of the Christian Department, Paul Lawrence, outlined a roadmap for the exercise, which includes mobilising intending pilgrims across the state’s 25 local government areas and conducting transparent screening in collaboration with relevant agencies.
Other planned measures include comprehensive orientation and spiritual preparation programmes, improved accommodation and feeding arrangements in the holy land, and stronger partnerships with the Christian Association of Nigeria and church leaders.
Lawrence said the department would also work closely with the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), the federal agency responsible for coordinating and regulating Christian pilgrimage activities, to ensure compliance with national guidelines and facilitate timely documentation and airlift operations.
He added that the board would collaborate with security agencies, medical screening teams and other stakeholders to ensure proper vetting, health certification and discipline among intending pilgrims.
According to him, measures have also been put in place to prevent pilgrims from absconding during the exercise. Lawrence appealed to the board’s management to sustain the operational and financial support required to achieve the programme’s objectives.
Meanwhile, the head of the Christian board members, Deborah Salawu, commended the board’s management for organising the meeting, describing it as a demonstration of inclusive leadership. Salawu pledged the board members’ moral, spiritual and advisory support for the exercise, as well as their commitment to the policies and programmes of the Niger State Government.
The revival marks a renewed effort by the state government to facilitate Christian pilgrimage after years of suspension, with preparations now focused on pilgrims’ welfare, security, documentation and effective coordination.