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‘Everybody was in a hurry to throw pebbles’

By Ibe Uwaleke, Chika Goodluck-Ogazi and Sunday Aikulola
02 October 2015   |   12:41 am
SOME Nigerian pilgrims coming through Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, who were returning from this year’s hajj exercise in Saudi Arabia, have narrated the circumstances that led to the death of 64 Nigerians and 240 still missing in the stampede that killed 717 people.
Hajj-pix

Returning pilgrims from Mecca at the MMIA, Hajj camp

Nigerian pilgrims return from Mecca, link stampede to impatience
SOME Nigerian pilgrims coming through Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, who were returning from this year’s hajj exercise in Saudi Arabia, have narrated the circumstances that led to the death of 64 Nigerians and 240 still missing in the stampede that killed 717 people.

When The Guardian visited the Hajj Camp at MMIA Wednesday morning, it was discovered that some pilgrims from Osun and Oyo States had already arrived. It was also learnt that some pilgrims from Ogun State returned by midnight on Monday.

In a chat with The Guardian team, many of the pilgrims expressed gratitude to Almighty God for sparing their lives to and from Saudi Arabia.

The National Hajj Commission (NAHCON) had earlier announced that a total number of 64 Nigerians have been confirmed dead while 240 pilgrims are still reportedly missing. NAHCON Public Relations Officer, Uba Mana said the injured pilgrims are still receiving treatment.

A pilgrim from Osun State, Professor Akanbi Wasiu of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTHECH), in an interview said: “I thank God for sparing our lives to and from Saudi Arabia.”

Commenting on the stampede that resulted in the loss of many lives, he said: “Personally, I think it happened as a result of impatience from our people. I must confess to you the facilities are more than sufficient. The very day we had the stampede there was a sudden blockage of one narrow road where a Prince wanted to pass. That day, the weather was extremely harsh and everybody was in a hurry to throw the pebbles and return to their residence. The blocked road allowed collision between those that were going and those that were coming. The officials really tried their best. Anywhere you find yourselves, you are always with security personnel that will direct you. Over there they don’t take bribe whenever they give instruction, one must comply.”

Another pilgrim from Osun State, Idowu Olurode, also spoke in the same vein.
“That day I was hungry and I said I should go and eat; then it started to rain. On the Arafat day, that was when I sensed something was going to happen as people were just fainting because the heat was too much.”

Another pilgrim, Alhaji Hariz Mustapha said: “We thank God that we arrived safely to the country without any problem, the accident was terrible. When it happened, the Saudi government sent rescuers immediately; there were ambulances everywhere, helicopters hovering around the scene of the accident to rescue people”.
“I thank Saudi Arabia government for their prompt response to the accident location, if not, more people could have died”.

He stated that he was not at the scene of the accident when it occurred, explaining that he just left the place before it happened.
According to him: “What actually happened was that the Prince of Saudi was coming to the location where the pilgrims perform the function of throwing stones at Satan. For that reason, other pilgrims were stopped from going through that direction, which made the people to follow the wrong way that is meant for the pilgrims returning from where they throw stones, and as a result there was a commotion and stampede that led to the death of many people.”

A female pilgrim, Alhaja Modinatu Aliu, said that the hajj was successful; everything went well according to her. In fact, she said she was looking forward to the 2016 hajj by the grace of God; she is ready for the next one.

Modinatu who said that the journey back to Nigeria took them six hours to arrive, noted that the accident would have been avoided if the situation was managed efficiently, that if people obeyed the instructions given them, there would not have been any issue.

She said she was so happy because her reason for going there was fulfilled and she enjoyed every bit of it. However, she encouraged other intending pilgrims to go there with faith and not fear, not minding the ugly situation that happened this year.

Meanwhile, the NAFSAT organization has commiserated with families of the victims of the tragic incidents in Mecca as a result of the stampede at Jamarat and the collapse of the giant crane on the Grand Mosque of Makkah, Masjid al-Haram.

A statement made available to The Guardian reads: “The President and the entire members of Nasrul-Lahi-Fathi society (NASFAT) share in this grief and commiserate with the entire Ummah particularly the families of the victims of this tragedy who were observing one of the five pillars of Islam. Our thoughts are with these families as we pray Almighty Allah to grant the souls of the victims eternal repose, and the Ummah and all affected families the fortitude to bear the loss. We urge them to take solace in the words of Allah: “And say not of those who are killed in the way of Allah; they are dead: nay they are living but perceive (it) not.” – Quran Chapter 2: 154.

NASFAT also supported the call by various stakeholders for a probe into the immediate and remote causes of this tragedy, so as to remove dread from the observance of this annual holy injunction of Allah.

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