Five
pilgrims from Gombe State have been declared missing in Saudi Arabia.
The
Executive Secretary, Gombe State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Usman
Gurama told newsmen in Mina, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday that the pilgrims could
not be located since Thursday.
He
said members of the medical team had been checking hospitals and mortuaries
with a view to locating them or their remains.
He,
however, said that for now, it had not been confirmed as to whether they were
among those who died as a result of Thursday’s incident at the Jamrat (stone
throwing venue) where over 700 pilgrims died.
Gurama
confirmed that seven pilgrims from the state were injured at the scene of the
incident and were responding to treatment.
Meanwhile,
Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State on Saturday gave the state pilgrims
$585,300 (about N32.7 million) as Sallah gift.
The
News Agency of Nigeria reports that each of the pilgrims had 300
Saudi Riyals (N16,800).
Addressing
the pilgrims shortly after presenting the gift, Dankwambo urged them to pray
for President Muhammad Buhari to enable him deliver the dividends of democracy.
He
commended the State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board and the Amirul Hajj team for
doing a good job.
In
his remarks, the State Amirul Hajj, Alhaji Abdullahi Mai-Kano, thanked the
governor for his commitment towards ensuring the success of the exercise.
He
also commended the pilgrims for their cooperation, adding that investigations
on the missing pilgrims were in progress.
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