3 Nigerians Named Among Victims in Mecca Mosque Tragedy

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has confirmed that three Nigerian pilgrims are among the 200 people that sustained minor injuries in the crane crash at Mecca’s Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia.

The Chairman of the commission, Mallam Abdullahi Mukhtar, made this known at a news conference in Abuja, adding that the victims were responding to treatment in the Holy land.
Mukhtar did not name the victims but said two of them were from Kaduna and one from Gombe.
He expressed deep shock over the sad incident but assured that it would not affect this year’s exercise in any way.
Media report had said that 103 people died and over 200 people were injured in the incident.

“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,’’ he said.

Mukhtar also disclosed that 53,800 pilgrims had so far been transported to Saudi Arabia as at Saturday. He promised that the remaining prospective pilgrims would be transported to the Holy land before the deadline of Sept.