A crane mishap in Mecca on Friday, September 11, left 107 people dead and not less than 200 injured. The incident at the Muslim holy city affected the Nigerians too.
A new controversy has followed the tragic event.
On Sunday, September 13, Suleiman Usman, the coordinator of the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON) in Mecca, paid condolence visits to three Nigerian states whose pilgrims were affected in the ill-fated crane crash.
Suleiman on his visit, disclosed officially that one male from Kaduna, four females from Gombe and another male from Katsina died from the mishap in Mecca.
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The NAHCON boss also informed that some Nigerian officials were arrested by Saudi authorities for trespassing.
According to the coordinator’s statement, the said officials were medical personnel arrested and imprisoned while traveling in an ambulance from Jeddah.
It is reported that the medical staff did not have permit to travel and that was the reason they were taken into custody by the Saudi officials.
The Hajj commissioner said the commission is doing everything possible to ensure the safe release of the medical team. He, however, sounded a warning to the pilgrims, urging them not to travel without a permit, at least till after Arafat.
Suleiman also stressed that the pilgrims must always carry their cards for identification, this he said in reaction to the crane incident in which some pilgrims were not identified because they had no means of identification on them.
He applauded the Nigerian contingent for having comported theirselves on this mission so far. He commended the pilgrims for wearing their uniforms at all times.
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The pilgrims were further charged to continue adhering to the rules and regulations of the Saudi authorities, Suleiman reminded them that it is only through obedience that they can get the blessing of Allah.
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