Three
Nigerians out of the 76,000 pilgrims from Nigeria in Saudi Arabia for
the 2016 Hajj exercise have been confirmed dead by the National Hajj
Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Nigerian Tribune reports. In a statement
by Dr Ibrahim Kana, head of the medical team, it was disclosed that two
of the pilgrims died in Madinah and one in Makkah.
Speaking at a
meeting of stakeholders during a pre Arafat meeting held at Makkah,
Kana said one of the affected pilgrims died in his sleep, as his team is
still working to know the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the
two others. Kana however disclosed that medical personnel had been
distributed to all Nigerian camps to ensure prompt response to the
medical needs of Nigerians. He noted that NAHCON had procured three new
ambulances and sufficient drugs to take care of Nigerian pilgrims during
the Arafat period, adding that pilgrims should not wander about on
sunny afternoon because of heat stroke in Makkah and Madinah.
Over
three million pilgrims will perform this year’s Hajj which starts with
movement to Muna today, Arafat and Muzdalifa on Sunday, September 11 and
throwing stones at the devil (Jamrah) on Monday, September 12.