The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has confirmed the death of 99 Nigerian pilgrims, 42 injured and 214 others missing in the recent stampede at Mina, Saudi Arabia.
The Commission revealed that the total number of Nigerian pilgrims affected in the stampede were 355.
Dr. Saleh Okenwa who is the Commissioner Planning, Research Statistic Information and Library Service (PRSILS) of the commission, told reporters in Makkah on Thursday that the total number of Nigerians affected in the incident was 355.
Okenwa however insisted that those missing cannot be declared dead, since identification of those affected were still being collated by the Saudi Arabia health authorities in conjunction with Nigerian and other health officials.
He further gave the breakdown of the victims as 73 deaths from the state pilgrim welfare board, agencies and commissions, while the remaining 26 were from the tour operators.
“Those injured were 42, 41 from the state pilgrims and one from tour operators. The numbers of missing from the states were 96 males, 94 females and four males who were officials, totaling 194, while 10 males and 10 females were missing from the tour operators. Of those injured only seven remain in the hospitals on admission and receiving treatments and others were discharged,” Okenwa said.
When asked about the fate of the missing and if there were hopes that they could be found alive, the commissioner said: “In the early days people expressed hope but the hope is weaning. We cannot declare those missing as dead since there is no evidence to state that they have been confirmed dead.”