Hajj Deaths: Nigeria Now Has Third Highest Number Of Victims

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Wednesday, September 30th, 2015

*As Death Toll Hits 64

BALTIMORE, MD, (AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Following President Mohammadu Buhari’s order that all Nigerian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia be accounted for, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) said 10 more bodies were identified raising the number deaths to 64.

The latest figure has put Nigerian deaths at number three of the most hit countries behind Egypt and Iran.

The number of those Nigerians still missing according to the commission’s Public Affairs Director Uba Mana, are 244 pilgrims.

He said the deceased were from Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Ekiti, Jigawa, FCT, Cross River, Gombe, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kaduna, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Plateau, Rivers Sokoto, Yobe, Taraba, and Zamfara.

“We cannot declare missing Nigerians dead because you cannot confirm someone dead without the corpse. And because during the stampede, helicopters came around picking victims and taking them to hospitals, we have decided to extend our search to all hospitals in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

“Kaduna all along said they had no missing pilgrims. But by yesterday, they called and said they cannot find six of their pilgrims. So the figure keeps changing; it may increase or decrease. Some of the injured have been treated and discharged.” He explained

Below are the list of the worst hit countries: