By Mohammed Aminu in Sokoto
At least two pilgrims from Sokoto State have died in Makkah, Saudi Arabia due to natural causes.
The Director-General of the Pilgrims Welfare Agency, Alhaji Ibrahim Umar, disclosed this to journalists yesterday, when he gave an update on the situation of the state’s pilgrims.
He said the two deceased pilgrims were Luba Usman, from Illela Local Government and Musa Haruna, from Gada Local Government Area.
According to him, the late Luba Usman was eating her breakfast on Saturday morning when she collapsed and died while Haruna, who was in the first flight of Gada Local Government Area, was on the queue on Saturday night for the weighing of his hand luggage.
“The deceased who was also together with his son, just laid down to rest and that was the end of his life,†Umar said.
The director-general stated that the two deceased pilgrims had since been buried according to Islamic rites after their funeral prayers were conducted at the Holy Mosque in Makkah.
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Meanwhile, the first flight of the state’s pilgrims had arrived Sokoto, with 550 pilgrims from Gada and Sabon-Birni Local Government Areas.
Similarly, the second flight is expected to arrive Sokoto today with 520 pilgrims.
Umar disclosed that the officials of the agency and the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), had met with the officials of the airlines to ensure strict adherence to the schedule of fights.
‘’The airlines have assured us that all Nigerian pilgrims will be transported back to Nigeria before the October 5,2017 deadline given by the Saudi authorities.
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‘’So, I am assuring all the pilgrims that none of them will be left here and everybody will be transported back to Nigeria in the respective flights they were brought into the Holy land,’’ Umar added.
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