Hajj 2019: Death toll of Nigerian Pilgrims rises to eight

The number of Nigerian pilgrims who have died at the current Hajj exercise has risen from five to eight, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON said on Friday.

The commission’s head of medical team, Ibrahim Kana, disclosed this to journalists during a presentation of 2019 hajj medical data at the pre-Arafat meeting with stakeholders.

Kana did not reveal the identities of the pilgrims. He said most of them died from shock and heart-related diseases.

“In terms of mortality so far, four females and four males have died. Three from Kano, Katsina has two, one each from Sokoto, Nasarawa, and an international pilgrim,” Kana said.

He explained that the commission was yet to record any case of miscarriage and severe disease outbreak, adding that such level of success was attainable due to intensive collaboration and partnership.

On his part, NAHCON’s acting Chairman, Barrister Abdullahi Muhammad stated that 44,450 pilgrims from the States Pilgrims Welfare Board and over 19,000 from private tour operators were already in the kingdom.

He appealed to the media to always show restraint in reporting issues that have to with the death of a pilgrim, saying that there are procedures to be followed before releasing such information to the public.

He admonished the tour operators to ensure that pilgrims under their supervision get value for their money, warning that commission will not take lightly any complain from pilgrims on services not rendered or on services that do not commensurate payment they made to them.

Muhammad lauded the Saudi authority for lending extra support to the Nigerian pilgrims by installing modern air conditioners in Nigeria makeshift tents at Mina and constructing a separate road that would ease movement of the pilgrims.

He urged the pilgrims to reciprocate such gesture by respecting the rules and regulations of their host country.