The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON has confirmed that 99 Nigerian pilgrims died, 42 were injured and 214 others are missing in the September 24 Hajj stampede in Mina, Saudi Arabia.
The agency’s Commissioner, Planning, Research, Statistic Information and Library Service, Dr. Saleh Okenwa, said that the total number of Nigerians affected in the incident is presently 355.
Dr. Okenwa insisted that those missing cannot be declared dead, since identification of those affected were still being collated by the Saudi Arabia health authorities in conjunction with Nigerian and other nations’ health officials.
He went on to give the breakdown of the victims as 73 deaths from the state pilgrims welfare boards, agencies and commissions, while the remaining 26 are from the tour operators.
