Mecca (Saudi Arabia) – The National Hajj Commission of
Nigeria (NAHCON) on Monday confirmed the death of 20 Nigerian pilgrims in Saudi
Arabia since the beginning of this year’s Hajj.
The Chairman of the commission, Alhaji Abdullahi Mukhtar,
disclosed this at a pre-Arafat stakeholders meeting at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
He said 14 pilgrims died due to cardiac arrest and other
ailments, while six lost their lives at the Sept. 11 crane crash.
Mukhtar said only three Nigerians were injured at the Sept.
11 crane crash as against the six earlier reported by the media.
The chairman said all the pilgrims that submitted valid
documents to the commission for visa were airlifted to Saudi Arabia for the
pilgrimage.
He also said that the security situation in the Kingdom was
very tight and advised the pilgrims to be orderly and stay in Mecca.
He also advised the pilgrims to drink more water due to the
harsh weather, adding they should only expose themselves to the sun when
necessary.
He said female pilgrims should move in group and avoid
construction sites within the Grand Mosque and outside.
On Arafat, the chairman said the pilgrims would start moving
to Mina on Monday at midnight and advised them against climbing the roofing of
buses conveying them.
“We have resolved at a meeting with clerics to abide by the
time given to us by the Saudi authority to start moving to Mina,’’ he said.
He warned clerics against inciting pilgrims against the
resolution, adding that anyone found doing so would be sanctioned.
“Anyone who violated the decision of the Ulama will be
sanctioned. The commission has the power to sanction anyone found wanting,’’ he
stressed.
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