Saudi Stampede: Nine Sokoto Pilgrims Confirmed Dead
Fatimah Abdullahi
Sokoto State Government on Saturday confirmed that nine pilgrims from the state have been confirmed dead in the stampede that occurred on Eid Day in Mina, Saudi Arabia.
The confirmation was contained in statement signed by the Special Adviser to Governor Aminu Tambuwal on Media, Imam Imam.
According to the statement, government officials, led by the state Amirul Hajj and Leader of Delegation, His Excellency, the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ahmad Aliyu, have also been working round the clock to identify many of the pilgrims who suffered various degrees of injuries and are receiving treatments in different hospitals in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The statement inter alia: “At this moment of grief and sober reflection, the state government urges all citizens to remain calm and intensify prayers as we await further confirmation from authorities concerned.
“May God bless the souls of those who died and may His healing be visited upon all the injured. May God console us all”.
No fewer than 727 pilgrims died in the stampede, which occured on Thursday with over 800 injured.
Taraba state’s Amirul Hajj for the 2015 pilgrimage, Alhaji Abbas Ibrahim, the First Class ruler of Zing and his two wives have also been confirmed dead in the ugly incident.
Also, Nigeria’s first female editor of Sunday Triumph, Hajiya Bilkisu Yusuf and Professor El-Miskin have also been confirmed dead in the incident.