The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has confirmed the death of 99 Nigerian pilgrims in the recent stampede at Mina, Saudi Arabia.
The Commissioner Planning, Research Statistic Information and Library Service (PRSILS) of the commission, Dr. Saleh Okenwa told reporters in Makkah on Thursday that 42 were injured and 214 others missing
He however insisted that those missing cannot be declared dead, since identification of those affected were still being collated by the Saudi Arabia health authorities in conjunction with Nigerian and other health officials.
He also gave the breakdown of the Hajj victims as 73 deaths from the state pilgrim welfare board, agencies and commissions, while the remaining 26 were from the tour operators.
“Those injured were 42, 41 from the state pilgrims and one from tour operators. The numbers of those missing from the states are 96 males, 94 females and four males who were officials, totaling 194. Ten males and 10 females were missing from the tour operators. Of those injured only seven remain in the hospitals on admission and receiving treatments and others were discharged,” Okenwa said.
When asked if there is hope that those missing can still be found alive, the commissioner said: “In the early days people expressed hope but the hope is weaning. We cannot declare those missing as dead since there is no evidence to state that.”

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