Six Nigerians died during the Crane collapse at Mecca

Six Nigerian pilgrims are among the  107 people killed in Friday’s crane collapse at Mecca’s holy site Ka’aba, Saudi Arabia.

Kaduna State Task Force on Hajj spokesman  Saidu Adamu yesterday confirmed the death of a member of the state’s delegation.

National Hajj Commission (NAHCON) confirmed the death of five other Nigerians.

It named the dead Kaduna pilgrim as Alhaji Adamu Shuaibu Kargi from Kubau Local Government Area.

Federal Government officials had on Saturday said no Nigerian died.

Gombe State Amirul-Hajj, Abdullahi Mai-Kano, said four women pilgrims from the state were missing after the incident.

According to him, the four pilgrims were from Akko, Dukku and Nafada local governments areas of the state.

Mai-Kano said the pilgrim was injured in her head, but had been treated and discharged.

He said the four pilgrims were declared missing after a thorough verification and bed checking in the three houses accommodating the state’s pilgrims.

Authorities in Saudi Arabia had earlier on Saturday confirmed that 107 people died.

The spokesperson for the Saudi presidency on the Affairs of the two holy mosques, Ahmad Al-Mansouri, said at “least 107 people were dead and another 238 were injured.

Also yesterday, the Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board said  4, 478 of the 5, 602 intending pilgrims from the state had  been flown to Saudi Arabia.

Alhaji Nuhu Badamasi, the Public Relations Officer of the board, said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano that the intending pilgrims were flown to the holy land through the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport in nine flights by Max Air.

According to him, the airline made its ninth flight with 530 pilgrims yesterday around 7. 30 a.m. with officials of the board.

‘’This brings the total of our intending pilgrims so far airlifted to the Holy land to 4, 478, while the remaining 1, 124 are still on ground waiting for their flights,’’
he said.

Badamasi expressed optimism that the remaining pilgrims would be taken to the Holy land before the Sept. 17 deadline.

‘’We are appreciative of the commitment of the airline as it has kept to its promise and flight schedules since the commencement of the exercise’’.

He, however, called on the remaining pilgrims to cooperate with the board to ensure the success of the airlift.

NAN recalls that the airlift of the state’s intending pilgrims commenced on Sept. 5.

The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of Jama’atul Nasril Islam, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III has commiserated with authorities of the Kingdom of Saudi-Arabia over the deaths due to the collapse of cranes on the holy mosque in Makka.

In a statement signed on behalf of Sultan Abubakar by the JNI’s Secretary-General, Dr. Khalid Abubakar-Aliyu , the royal father described  the  death of the 107 pilgrims as a great tragedy to the Muslim ummah (community).

He said:”This is indeed a great tragedy to the Muslim Ummah specifically and the entire world generally.

“This is a pointer to us that death is inevitable.

“Therefore, we should be conscious of our actions and inactions, because death may descend anywhere, anytime.

“We commiserate with the Saudi authorities, especially the custodian of the two holy mosques at this moment of grief over this tragic event.”

The Sultan also expressed concern over the kidnap of his deputy, Sheikh  Adam Abdullahi Idoko by unknown gunmen.

Sheikh Idoko is the Vice President of the JNI and Chief Imam of the University of Nsukka, Enugu State.

While condenming the incident, the Sultan urged the government and security agencies to do everything possible to rescue the Islamic scholar.

His words: “While congratulating the Ummah, JNI is also perturbed over the kidnapped of Sheikh Adam Abdullahi Idoko.

“Indeed this ugly incident is strongly condemned by the JNI.

“The JNI appeals to the government and security agencies at all levels to do everything humanly possible to rescue the distinguished Muslim scholar, hale and hearty, from the hands of the criminals.”