• Illegal pilgrims invaded Nigerian tents in Mina, says Saudi agency
• NAHCON Chair blames Saudi govt for invasion
Six more Nigerians reported died during the five days of Hajj rites in Mina and Arafat, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) said.
This increased the total number of pilgrims that died in this year’s Hajj to 13.
NAHCON’s Head of the Medical Mission, Dr. Usman Galadima, announced this during a stakeholders’ meeting in Makkah.
Galadima said two Nigerian women were delivered of babies during the five-day Hajj rites.
According to him, 93 emergency cases were attended to, including three cases of Chicken Pox.
Also, a Saudi Arabian agency in charge of Nigerian pilgrims yesterday attributed the shortage of tents provided for the nation’s pilgrims to the illegal pilgrims that invaded the tents before Nigerians arrived.
The Mutawif for pilgrims from African non-Arab countries in Makkah said the high number of illegal pilgrims that invaded the Nigerian tents in Mina and Arafat made them crowdy.
Its Chief Executive, Mr. Bador Bafakeeh, said the company checked all the number of pilgrims, which increased from 30 to 40 per cent than the agreed number.
Bafakeeh said: “The tents were customised with the number of pilgrims agreed on and we tried to maintain it with the food and all utility services we agreed on. Most of our video records show that there were many illegal pilgrims in different tents when we were sharing food. A lot of official reports had been written regarding all of these cases, from the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (lesser hajj) and some government entities.”
The agency chief assured Nigerians that the company would look into all the issues raised by NAHCON and convene another meeting with the commission and other stakeholders to find a common ground.
The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Alhaji Zikrullah Hassan, decried the invasion of Mina and Arafat by those he called fake pilgrims, resulting in inadequate tents in Mina.
Hassan blamed the Saudi authority for allowing the illegal pilgrims to occupy Nigerian tents.
“We were not in a position to checkmate them. We do not have the security control because there was no way we could handle the issue. It is an embarrassment to us.
“There was no way we could check them. Only the appropriate authorities could do that,” he said.
The NAHCON boss complained that the same tent space used for the 2022 Hajj of about 43,000 pilgrims was also used for the 95,000 pilgrims who participated in this year’s hajj.
“In view of the inadequate tent space, many pilgrims who looked towards an enjoyable Hajj had to find themselves under the sun for days.
“And they had nowhere else to go but remain under the sun. Many didn’t know that the best we can do as Hajj mission is only to complain. We have no power or control over the issue.
“We were just helpless, and this is not a good one for the pilgrims who have looked forward to having an enjoyable Hajj,” he said.
Hassan said the food the company served Nigerians pilgrims was substandard while most of the meals had no Nigerian touch.
“This year, very many foods served to pilgrims were not eaten. Even when they came, they were very late. Some of our places were turned like a refuse dump. At times, some of our toilets lacked water,” he said.
To avoid a similar incident in future Hajj, the commission proposed that it should be allowed to handle feeding of pilgrims at Mina and Arafat to ensure that Nigerian pilgrims get value for their money.