Nigerian authorities have suspended all Christian pilgrimages to Israel and the occupied West Bank with immediate effect due to rising security concerns linked to the escalating conflict in the Middle East.

The decision was announced by the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission, the government agency responsible for coordinating Christian pilgrimages from Nigeria.

In a statement, the commission said the suspension was necessary to prioritise the “safety and comfort” of Nigerian pilgrims amid growing instability in the region.

The development follows the widening conflict after military strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran, which reportedly led to the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.

Iran has since launched retaliatory attacks targeting Israel and several U.S.-allied states in the Gulf, further raising tensions across the Middle East.