466 Plateau Pilgrims Set to Depart for Israel, Jordan

The Plateau State Christian Welfare Board announced that 466 pilgrims will depart for Israel and Jordan on March 5, 2026, as part of the second batch of pilgrims. Wanson Bagu, the Executive Secretary of the board, disclosed this information in an interview.

The mobilization for the pilgrimage began in November and December of the previous year, with a total of 1,120 pilgrims proposed, including 13 carry-overs from the previous year. The first batch had 295 pilgrims who were screened, while the second batch will consist of 466 pilgrims.

The board plans to send a third batch of not less than 350 pilgrims, although the date for this batch has yet to be fixed. Bagu noted that the board faced visa challenges, with five pilgrims from the first batch denied entry into Israel and remaining in Jordan.

He emphasized that visa denial is not unique to Nigeria. The board's budget for the pilgrimage is capped at N4 billion, despite claims of spending N7 billion, which Bagu refuted.