Fifty-four Nigerians have been confirmed to have died during Thursday’s
stampede in Mina, Saudi Arabia, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
The confirmation was given by Alhaji Abdullahi Mukhtar, Chairman,
National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) on Monday at a news
conference in Makkah.
No fewer than 717 pilgrims died and 805 others injured in the
stampede when the pilgrims trooped to perform the ritual of the symbolic
stoning of the devil.
Mukhtar said 61 other pilgrims were injured during the incident.
He said 42 of the deceased pilgrims were transported to Saudi Arabia
by state Pilgrims’ Welfare Agencies, while 12 came through Private Tour
Operators
He said the deceased were from Bauchi, Borno, Jigawa, Cross Rivers,
Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Nassarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Sokoto, Yobe,
Taraba, and Zamfara.
The chairman also said that out of the injured 61 pilgrims, 16 were
transported by Private Tour Operators and the remaining 45 by state
Pilgrims’ Welfare Agencies.
He said the commission was still investigating to ascertain the
number and condition of some pilgrims who have gone missing after the
incident.
MuKhtar said the commission had set up three committees to condole
with the families of the deceased, arrange befitting burial for the
deceased and to collate information from eye witnesses.
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