Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal yesterday said all Nigerians who went to Saudi Arabia for this year’s pilgrimage would be accounted for.
He gave the assurance following the twin tragedies of the crane crash and the stampede that befell this year’s Hajj.
The state will today hold a prayer session for the repose of the souls of its dead in Saudi.
Tambuwal gave the assurance when he visited families of those affected by the tragedy in Sokoto.
A statement issued by Imam Imam,the governor’s Spokesman in Sokoto, noted that “Hajj officials are working round the clock to ensure that all victims are properly identified and documented.
“The areas most affected in Sokoto State are Illela, Binji and Wamakko local government areas.
Addressing the families during a stop in Jamali village of Binji Local Government Area, Tambuwal said government was still collating the number of pilgrims who died, suffered injuries or missing.
He announced that as soon as the collation was done, government would assist the families in the best way possible.
The governor appealed to the people to exercise more patience, adding that many of those earlier thought to have died had been seen receiving treatment in hospitals in Saudi Arabia.
He said: “as Muslims, we are encouraged to have faith in God at all times, especially in our difficult times.
“We will organise prayers for our country men and women for God to heal the injured, bless the dead and bring the missing ones back to us in good health.” Other communities visited include Gidan Hamma, Binji and Wamakko.
The number of Iranian pilgrims killed in the Hajj stampede had risen to 465, the Iranian authority announced yesterday..
According to state IRIB Television, a full list of the victims had been released.
Tehran said about 64,000 Iranians travelled to Saudi Arabia to perform the Hajj rituals this year.
It urged immediate transfer of the bodies to Iran, blaming Saudi Arabia’s “inefficiency and mismanagement” in handling the largest gathering of Muslims.
The Saudi authorities had earlier put the total number of pilgrims killed in the accident at 769.
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