BREAKING NEWS, Crime
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FIFTY-FOUR Nigerians have been confirmed to have died during the stampede on Thursday, September 24, in Mina, Saudi Arabia.
The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in reports said that the figure was confirmed by Abdullahi Mukhtar, chairman, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, on Monday, September 28, at a news conference in Makkah. Mukhtar said 61 Nigerian pilgrims were injured during the incident.
No fewer than 717 pilgrims died and 805 others injured in the stampede which ensued when the pilgrims were performing the ritual of the symbolic stoning of the devil.
According to the NAHCON chair 42 of the deceased pilgrims were transported to Saudi Arabia by state pilgrims’ welfare agencies, while the remaining 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 states.
Mukhtar 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.
— Sep 28, 2015 @ 12:30 GMT
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