President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the National Hajj Commission and the Nigerian embassy in Saudi Arabia to urgently account for all Nigerian pilgrims in the aftermath of last Thursday’s stampede at Mina, in which about 717 people were killed.
At least 54 Nigerians have been confirmed dead in the stampede, which occurred while pilgrims were casting stones on a wall symbolically representing the devil.
According to Garba Shehu, the president’s directive followed “conflicting reports on the number Nigerians who died or suffered injuries in the catastrophe which claimed over 700 lives.”
“President Buhari is very concerned that days after the unfortunate incident, some Nigerian families are still grappling with painful uncertainty over the fate of their relatives who travelled to Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj,” Shehu said.
”President Buhari continues to pray that Almighty Allah will receive the souls of the dead and comfort bereaved families.”
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