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The number of Nigerian pilgrims that died in last Thursday’s Hajj stampede in Mina, Saudi Arabia, has risen to 64. The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) disclosed this on Tuesday after confirming the identification of 10 more corpses.
According to Alhaji Uba Mana, the Director, Public Affairs of the commission, 244 pilgrims had been declared missing.
He said 71 pilgrims were injured.
He said of the 64 deceased pilgrims, 46 were transported to Saudi Arabia by state pilgrims’ welfare agencies and 18 by private tour operators.
Mana also said that 12 of the 71 injured pilgrims were transported to Saudi Arabia by tour operator and 59 by state pilgrims’ welfare agencies.
He said the deceased were from Adamawa,Bauchi, Borno, Ekiti, Jigawa, FCT, Cross Rivers, Gombe, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kaduna, Kwara, Nassarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Plateau, Rivers Sokoto, Yobe, Taraba, and Zamfara.
NAN recalls that more than 749 pilgrims were reported to have died, and 805 others injured, during Thursday’s stampede on the way to the Jamrat complex (stoning site) in Mina, Saudi Arabia.