The Chairman, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, Alhaji Abdullahi Mukhtar Muhammad, on Friday called on the Saudi Arabian authorities to involve Nigeria and countries affected by Friday’s stampede in Mina, Saudi Arabia, in the probe of the tragedy.
At least 747 Muslims from different countries lost their lives and 805 others sustained injuries during a stampede on the road leading to Jamarat (stone throwing site).
Pilgrims from several nations, participating at the ongoing pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, lost their lives to the stampede.
Muhammad, who made the call at a news conference in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, said it was unfair for anyone to blame Africans participating at the pilgrimage for the fatal incident.
“At this time of electronic age and the close circuit cameras installed in Mecca and environment, the authorities can easily know how the stampede started and what caused it”, he said.
He urged the pilgrims to follow the timetable provided by Saudi authorities to prevent similar incident.
It was learnt that three Nigerians lost their lives in the stampede although NAHCON officials said they had yet to verify the development from the Saudi Government.
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