National Hajj Commission of Nigeria says 99 pilgrims died in Saudi Arabian stampede

NATIONAL Hajj Commission of Nigeria (Nahcon) officials have put the number of Nigerian dead from the recent Saudi Arabian stampede at 99 with 42 injured and 214 still unaccounted for.

 

About 2m Muslims are performing the religious pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia this year, of whom about 70,000 are Nigerians. During a stampede this year when the faithful participated in the annual ritual of stoning the devil at the Ka'aba in Mina, Nigerian pilgrims suffered a high casualty rate in the accident.

 

More than 769 pilgrims from across the world died and 1,000 others were injured in the September 24 stampede in one of the roads leading to the Jamarat Complex in Mina, Saudi Arabia. Saleh Okenwa, Nahcon's commissioner in charge of information, research and library services, confirmed the new Nigerian casualty figures to journalists in Mecca.

 

Mr Okenwa also said 214 pilgrims were still missing, adding that investigation were ongoing to ascertain their whereabouts. He added that of the 99 deceased pilgrims, 73 were transported by state pilgrims welfare agencies and 26 by tour operators.

 

According to Mr Okenwa, the 42 injured pilgrims comprised 41 transported by state pilgrims’ welfare boards and one by a tour operator. He added that 194 of the 214 missing Nigerian pilgrims were airlifted by the state pilgrims’ welfare agencies and 20 by tour operators.