THE number of Nigerian pilgrims that lost their lives in the stampede at Mina, Saudi Arabia, last Thursday, has risen to 20 from the initial six.
There were fears, yesterday, that the death toll may rise further as more states are still searching for their ‘missing’ pilgrims. Taraba, Sokoto and Gombe states have announced the loss of some pilgrims from their states.
Already, two justices of the Court of Appeal, Justice Abubakar Abdulkadir Jega, brother of former INEC Chairman, Profesor Attahiru Jega, and Justice Musa Hassan Alkali, and front line journalist and columnist, Hajiya Bilikisu Yusuf, among others have been confirmed dead.
The Amirul Hajj of Taraba State, Alhaji Abbas Ibrahim, and two of his wives are also among the dead.
Sokoto State lost nine pilgrims in the stampede. Also, a staff of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, (name withheld), also died in the crush.
Taraba State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board confirmed the death of the state’s Amirul Hajj for the 2015 pilgrimage, Alhaji Ibrahim, the First Class ruler of Zing.
Chairman of the board, Alhaji Hamman-Adama Tukur, confirmed the incident.
Tukur explained that the emir died on Thursday during the stampede, adding that the body of the late traditional ruler was buried in Makkah on Friday.
He disclosed that many indigenes of Taraba are still missing, while a few others, whose names he did not mention, but who sustained injuries, are receiving treatment in Saudi hospitals.
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