5 Nigerians Died in Saudi Arabia, Not 10—NAHCON

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News, World News Thursday, October 2nd, 2014

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) on Thursday said that only five Nigerians performing this year’s Hajj in Saudi Arabia have so far died.

NAHCON spokesperson, Malam Uba Mana in an exclusive phone interview said that contrary to reports that 10 Nigerians died on Monday in Saudi Arabia, it was five of them that answered the call of Allah.

He said the head of Medical Team told NAHCON pre-Arafat meeting at the Nigeria Consulate in Makkah that the deceased died of natural causes as against speculation that they were involved in an accident.

Mana said out of the five, two of them died in Haram Mosque in Makkah when they slumped and it was found out that it was due to high blood pressure and diabetes.

“The remaining three also died of high blood pressure and diabetes, even they found their drugs in their bag where they slumped’’.

On the allegation that over 1,000 Nigeria pilgrims might miss this year’s Hajj exercise as they were stranded in Madina, Mana assured that all pilgrims from Nigeria would not miss the Arafat slated for Friday.

He explained that there were technical and logistic hitches in retrieving their passport and securing buses for the remaining pilgrims to be able to transport them from Medina to Makkah for Arafat.

“All Nigerian passports have been retrieved and buses have arranged to convey the remaining pilgrims from Medina to Makkah today for Arafat on Friday. Nobody will miss the Hajj exercise’’, he assured.

Mana said that the arrangement this year was unique as about 70 per cent of Nigeria pilgrims were transported straight from Nigeria to Madina, to ease transportation problem.

He said the morale of Nigeria pilgrims are high as they were eager to move to Muna and Arafat on Friday.