Latest information from Saudi Arabia on Thursday’s hajj tragedy shows that as many as eight Nigerians may have died in the incident.

Initial reports suggested that two Nigerians –Hajiya Bilikisu Yusuf,a prominent journalist, and Professor Tijanni El-Miskin , Chairman of the Borno State Pilgrims Welfare Board – were among the 719 killed while pilgrims were stoning the devil as part of the Hajj rituals.

Among the Nigerians just confirmed to have lost their lives in the incident are the wife and child of a university teacher,Professor Taqwa.

Taqwa himself was said to be safe last night .

Also reported dead is Dr.Hafsat Shittu,a pharmacist from Kano.

The death toll now stands at 725 with 863 injured.

Nigeria’s Amir Ul Hajj,Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi and Iran have dismissed claims by the Saudi Arabia authorities that African pilgrims were largely responsible for the tragedy.

Iran alleged that the convoy of Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Crown Prince and Defense Minister Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud caused panic among pilgrims which resulted in the stampede.

A top official of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria(NAHCON) said Nigeria’s death toll could be more than what was originally thought.

Many Nigerian pilgrims were missing as at press time with NAHCON directing all the states to “take immediate census of their pilgrims.”

Reconciliation of the number of victims was in progress at press time.

Sanusi rejects Saudi blame of African pilgrims

Nigeria’s Amir Ul Hajj ,Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi , disputed claims by the Saudi authorities that African pilgrims were largely responsible for the stampede.

Sanusi who is also the Emir of Kano and a respected voice on Islamic affairs told the Saudi Arabia “not to apportion blame to the pilgrims” for the incident.

The victims were crushed to death and more than 850 other injured when two groups of pilgrims arrived at crossroads on Street 204 at the tent city of Mina.

Shortly after the incident, Saudi prince Khaled al-Faisal, head of the Central Hajj Committee, stirred outrage as he blamed African pilgrims for the deadly stampede.

Al-Faial who is the Saudi Health Minister said:”The investigations into the incident of the stampede that took place today (Thursday) in Mina, which was perhaps because some pilgrims moved without following instructions by the relevant authorities, will be fast and will be announced as has happened in other incidents.”

Emir Sanusi who attended the committee meeting said that pilgrims who complete the ritual should not cross those who are approaching the holy site.

“They should not cross each other. We are therefore urging the Saudi authorities not to apportion blame to the pilgrims for not obeying instruction,” he said in a statement.

Iran,arch-enemy of the Saudi Royal Family,insisted that Riyadh “must accept responsibility for this.”

“The unavoidable fact is that the Saudi government has been incompetent in this regard and with regard to the management of the Hajj pilgrimage, and Riyadh must accept responsibility for this,” spokesman for Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Keyvan Khosravi, reportedly told the Iranian news agency,FARS.

It said:“Sources revealed that the convoy of Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Crown Prince and Defense Minister Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud caused panic among millions of pilgrims and started the stampede that has so far claimed the lives of 1,300 in Mina, near Mecca, on Thursday.

“The large convoy of Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud, the King’s son and deputy crown prince, that was escorted by over 3,500 security forces, including 200 army men and 150 policemen, sped up the road to go through the pilgrims that were moving towards the site of the ‘Stoning the Devil’ ritual, causing panic among millions of pilgrims who were on the move from the opposite direction and caused the stampede.”

“That’s why the ruler of Mecca has distanced himself from the case, stressing that the issue should be studied and decided by the King.

“No other source has yet confirmed the report, but observers said the revelation explains why two of the roads to the ‘Stoning the Devil’ site haves been closed.”

A Nigerian pilgrim said: “So far, what we were told was that a part of the road leading to Jamurat where we were to throw the pebbles was blocked for a Saudi Prince to perform his rites.

“So, other pilgrims used the remaining side of the road and the surge was suffocating.”

The stampede was the worst incident to occur in Mecca during the hajj since 1990, when 1,426 pilgirms, many from Indonesia, Pakistan and Malaysia, were killed in a stampede in a pedestrian tunnel. Following another stampede in 2006, in which more than 300 people died, the Jamarat bridge and some pillars were demolished and reconstructed.

A breakdown of the victims yesterday was as follows: Algeria(3 killed, 6 injured), Bangladesh( 4 dead); China (1 death); Egypt( 8killed, 20 injured); Turkey( 4 dead), Netherlands (1death); India( 4 dead, 2 injured); Indonesia(3 dead, 1 injured); Iran (131 dead, 60 injured); Morocco(87 dead); Nigeria( 8 dead, 6 injured) Oman( 5 injured) ; Pakistan(7 dead) and Sudan (1 dead, 2 injured); Unknown(558 dead, 761injured).

It was learnt that the identities of the unknown persons killed or injured were bring ascertained last night.

When contacted, the Head of Media for NAHCON, Alh. Uba Maina, who spoke from Mecca, said: “Apart from three prominent Nigerians so far identified, we cannot say the exact figure of our pilgrims that died or got injured in the stampede.

“Many Nigerian pilgrims are still missing, they have not returned to their camps. NAHCON has however directed all the states to take headcount of all their pilgrims. We are reconciling figures. When this is finally down, we will be able to say categorically those affected.”

Asked if the death toll of Nigerian pilgrims could be more, Maina said: “Until we conclude the census, we will not want to cause panic.”