Stampede investigation: NAHCON wants Saudi authority to involve affected nations

Alhaji Abdullahi Mukhtar, the Chairman, National Hajj Commision of Nigeria (NAHCON), on Friday called on the Saudi authority to involve Nigeria and countries affected by Thursday’s stampede in Mina, Saudi Arabia.

No fewer than 747 Muslims lost their lives and 805 others injured at the stampede on the road leading to Jamarat (stone throwing site).

Pilgrims from several nations participating at the ongoing pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia lost their lives at the stampede.
Mukhtar, who made the call at a news conference in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, said it was not fair for anyone to blame Africans participating at the pilgrimage for the fatal incident.

“At this time of electronic age and the close circuit cameras install in Mecca and environment, the authority can easily know how the stampede started and who caused it,’’ he said.

He, therefore, urged the pilgrims to follow the timetable provided by Saudi authority to prevent similar incident.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that three Nigerians lost their lives although NAHCON officials said they had yet to verify the development from Saudi Government.