Taraba monarch, two wives killed in Saudi stampede

Abbas Ibrahim, a first class traditional ruler in Taraba state, and two of his wives were among the victims of Thursday’s stampede in Saudi Arabia.

While the Taraba Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board announced the death of Ibrahim, who was also the state’s amirul hajj for the 2015 pilgrimage, the Zing traditional council confirmed the death of his two wives.

Hamman-Adama Tukur, chairman of the board, said the body of the late traditional ruler was recovered and buried in Makkah on Friday.

He also disclosed that many indigenes of Taraba were still missing, while a few who sustained injuries, were receiving treatment in some Saudi hospitals.

Hassan Mijinyawa, chief press secretary to Taraba governor, also confirmed the death of the monarch but said formal pronouncement would be made after consultations with the Zing traditional council.

Gurama Bawa, a title holder in Zing, told NAN that the late emir was aged 62 and had been on the throne for 19 years.

According to Bawa, he left behind, two wives and 13 children.

Meanwhile, the death toll from the tragic incident has risen from 717 to 769.

Khalid al-Falih, the country’s health minister, announced this at a press conference on Saturday, saying the number of those injured had also risen from 856 to 934.

Earlier, Saudi Arabia’s top religious leader said the stampede, the worst disaster in a quarter-century to strike the annual event, was beyond human control.