Hajj: Six Nigerian pilgrims die in Saudi Arabia

IBRAHIM QUADRI

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has confirmed the death of Six Nigerian pilgrims participating in the 2023 Hajj in Saudi Arabia.

Usman Galadima, Head of the NAHCON 2023 Hajj medical team, confirmed this on Saturday during a meeting of the commission in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

He said the delegations from Osun and Kaduna States for the 2023 Hajj recorded two deaths each, while Plateau State recorded one.

Galadima also disclosed that the team diagnosed 30 patients with mental challenges.

According to him, they are currently undergoing treatment and expected to perform hajj.

“We have been managing them in our facilities. We have about four psychiatrists in the team. We have been managing them and all of them would likely perform hajj because they are a bit stable now,”

He further stated that the 2023 Hajj clinic recorded two miscarriages and delivered one baby.

To address the mortality rate, Mr Galadima called for the strengthening of the pre-hajj medical screening of intending pilgrims.

Galadima added that there is a need to restrict those deemed to be “not fit to travel”

Meanwhile,The Lagos State Government has called on the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON to decentralize its operation in order to have more effective success during hajj rites.

 

The State which commended the Commission for good administration of the 2023 Hajj operations, however believes whittling down the power from the central medical team will ensure optimal performance during the period.

 

Head of the Lagos State Hajj team, Prince Anofiu Elegushi made the appeal during a chat with journalists in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia after successful airlifting of all contingents of Lagos State for the pilgrimage.

 

Elegushi explained that the State through its pilgrims board had raised the bar in the administration of hajj exercise and would love to collaborate with other critical stakeholders for more effective outcomes.

 

He said “So far so good we have been having a peaceful arrangement, although with little hitches, which is normal but so far we have been able to control crowd and resolve other issues regarding the pilgrims that came up and after all, we have been able to lifted over three thousand pilgrims to Saudi Arabia and for now, everything is okay for Lagos Pilgrims.”

 

“NAHCON has done well, but the area I will like to talk about is the area of monopoly, I think they should reduce the power of the operation, there are some that States can do better for example the area of medical, although NAHCON is always prepared, but looking at the number of people that came from Nigeria,  their facilities may be overwhelmed.”

 

“If we can have medical from the houses where pilgrims reside, it would reduce pressure on major medical infrastructure, they should at least release some powers to the State, I am sure, things will go well if they can do that.”

 

Elegushi however reassured the pilgrims of better arrangements in the coming days.

 

Deputy Lagos State hajj team, Mr Abdullahi Jebe appreciated the State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu for ensuring that the right persons are positioned to carry out the hajj operations for Lagos pilgrims.

 

Jebe mentioned that the pilgrims the last batch of Lagos State pilgrims had completed the visitation (Ziyarah) to some Islamic historical sites in the city of Madinah.

 

He said that the eleventh batch which consists of 171 pilgrims carried out the visitation between Thursday and Friday in fulfillment of the requirements for the performance of the spiritual exercise.

 

Some of the important sites visited by the pilgrims include, the Raodoh (a specific prayer location for supplications in the Prophet Mosque and offering); Masjid Qubah (the first Mosque built on earth and where the first ever Jumat prayer was observed in the entire world) and Masjid Qiblataen (a Mosque with two Qiblas).

 

Meanwhile, the 171 pilgrims on the last flight from Lagos have departed Madinah for Makkah to begin the Hajj rites proper.

 

They are expected to put on the Ihram clothes (two pairs of white towel for the males and long gown for females) and declare their intention to perform Umrah (lesser hajj) at the Miqot.

 

On getting to Makkah, the pilgrims would proceed to the Masjid Al-Haram (Kaaba) to perform the Tawaf (cycling) and the Sae (Safa and Marwa) seven times.

 

Hajj al-Tamatt’u is the easiest way of performing Hajj. People who come to Saudi Arabia from other countries usually perform Hajj al-Tamatt’u. The Ihram they wear on or before Miqot is for Umrah first, after which they cut their hair and nails and change into their ordinary clothes.

 

On the eight of Zul-Hijjah, they put on Ihram for Hajj at their residence in Makkah and perform the rites of hajj. The Hiram is taken off after the throwing of the first pebbles at the Jamarat which is the day of sacrifice (Eid-ul-Kabir).