Nigeria has asked its pilgrims performing this year’s hajj to stay away from the grand Mosque in Mecca for now, following the crane accident that killed score of pilgrims yesterday in Saudi Arabia, even as it confirmed that only three Nigerians sustained injury in the accident.
Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Mallam Abdullahi Mukhtar, who spoke to newsmen today in Abuja said that the victims were responding to treatments in the Holy land. They are pilgrims from Kaduna and Gombe states, though he would not give their names.
“On the commission’s part, we have advised the various states pilgrims’ board not to allow their pilgrims to go close to the Grand Mosque for now. They have adhered strictly to our directive and it is yielding positive results.”
Mukhtar said that 53,800 pilgrims had so far been transported to Saudi Arabia as at today, Saturday.
He promised that the remaining intending pilgrims would be airlifted to the Holy land before the deadline of September 18.
Media report had said that103 people were dead and over 200 people were injured in the incident. [myad]
