15 Nigerian pilgrims die in Saudi Arabia

Posted by admin Africa & World Politics, Latest Politics Saturday, October 27th, 2012

Written by Wale Adele Saturday, 20 October 2012

Just as the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, (NAHCON) announced the death of 14 pilgrims, another pilgrim from Lagos State has died, bringing the total number of Nigerian Pilgrims, that have died in Saudi Arabia during this year’s pilgrimage to 15.

The Lagos pilgrim, Taoreed Oshodi, 62, from Epe Local Government Area of Lagos, was said to have died on Thursday afternoon.

He was said to have taken ill and rushed to the hospital, after being attended to by the medical team of the state’s pilgrim board.

Oshodi was said to have died of a heart attack. He had since been buried according to Islamic rites in Mecca.

Speaking, Dr. Saleh Okenwa, Commissioner in Charge of Information and Research, NAHCON, disclosed that 14 pilgrims from Nigeria had earlier died in the course of this year’s hajj. He said at the commission’s headquarters in Mecca that nine of the deceased died in Medinah, while the remaining five lost their lives in Mecca.

Dr. Okenwa gave the names of the five that died earlier in Mecca as Umar Ruangamyi Dahir and Shuaib Awwal Sarki Malami from Kastina State; and Ganiyu Oke Ayinde from Ogun State. Others, according to him, were Abdullahi Mudi and Nana Garba from Sokoto State.

Okenwa also disclosed that 82,724 pilgrims from Nigeria have arrived the holy city for the hajj rites. He absolved the commission of

complicity in the diplomatic feud that ensued between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia over the deportation of some female pilgrims.

Meanwhile, the entire 3,899 pilgrims and officials from Lagos State have arrived Mecca and commenced spiritual supplication as expected. The last batch of 50 pilgrims from Medina arrived Mecca on Wednesday.

-Tribune

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