Hajj: Gombe declares five pilgrims missing

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.