By Matthew Denis
One of the 2019 hajj pilgrims from Kwara State, Usman Umar has been reported dead in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
Umar who was said to have died last Thursday, hails from Jebba, Moro Local Government Area of the state.
Response to calls and text message sent to the Executive Secretary of Kwara State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Tunde Jimoh was still being awaited as at the time of filing this report.
Recall that Jimoh had in a telephone interview with newsmen, last Monday, stated that all the 2,026 Kwara pilgrims performing the 2019 hajj in Saudi Arabia are hale and healthy after performing the symbolic prayer at the plain of Arafat.
The Executive Secretary who spoke from Muna, Saudi Arabia, also said that all the pilgrims, including officials, successfully performed Eid-el-Kabir without any casualty.
He also disclosed that the pilgrims, in high spirit, had performed the throwing of pebbles at the devil, twice in Muna and were expected to perform the last of such religious rite “any moment from now.”
He added that the pilgrims also prayed for peace, unity, love and prosperity for Kwara State in particular and Nigeria at large.
Speaking in a similar vein, the state Amirul Hajj, Alhaji Lasisi Kolawole-Jimoh, said feeding and accommodation of the state’s pilgrims in Makkah and Madinah were satisfactory.
Meanwhile, the Chairman, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Dr Ibrahim Kana had last week said the number of Nigerian pilgrims who have died while performing the 2019 Hajj in Saudi Arabia has risen to nine.
Kana disclosed this in Muna last Monday while briefing journalists on the activities of the medical team of NAHCON.
Kana said, “A Lagos State pilgrim, collapsed at Jamrat and was brought to hospital in Muna but died; she was hypertensive.”
Kana said the leader of the Lagos State team in Saudi for the Hajj, Alhaji Abdullateef Abdulkarim, had identified the deceased as Alhaja Folashade Lawal .
He said the deceased hailed from Oshodi Local Government Area of the state, saying she slumped at 3 am while heading for Jamrat to throw stones at the devil. Throwing stones at the ‘devil ’ is one of the Islamic rites towards an acceptable Hajj .
