According to the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON), 14 Nigerian pilgrims who traveled to Saudi Arabia for this year’s exercise have passed away there. These pilgrims were participating in this year’s Hajj.

Usman Galadima, the chief of operations and medical team lead for NAHCON, made this revelation during a meeting with stakeholders in Makkah that took place after the Arafat conference. He stated that two ladies gave birth while they were in Saudi Arabia.

According to Galadima, there have been three confirmed cases of chickenpox, and in order to prevent the illness from spreading further, the pilgrims have been quarantined.

Six deaths were reported to have occurred at Mashair, four of which occurred in Arafat, and the remaining two occurred in Minna.

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“Before Arafat, we had already suffered the loss of seven pilgrims, and just now I was informed that we had suffered the loss of another pilgrim. The overall number of fatalities has now reached 14 as a result of this.

“The death toll for 2019 is comparable to that for this year.”

He emphasized the significance of intending pilgrims undergoing a comprehensive pre-hajj medical screening in order to obtain a certificate stating that they are in good enough health to perform the pilgrimage.

Because of the amount of stress that will be involved, he advised that anyone who are severely sick or elderly should not take part in the symbolic stoning of the devil that will take place at Jamrat.

In the meantime, Goni Sanda, who is in charge of aviation for the commission, stated that the airlifting of pilgrims back to Nigeria will begin on July 4.

More details coming soon…