By Nafiu Busari
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has announced the death of Six pilgrims from Nigeria who are participating in the 2023 Hajj in Saudi Arabia.
Head of the NAHCON 2023 Hajj medical team, Usman Galadima, disclosed this during a meeting in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday.
According to him, pilgrims from Osun and Kaduna States for the 2023 Hajj each had two deaths, while Plateau State recorded just one.
The Hajj Commission also said 30 people were diagnosed with mental illnesses and are currently undergoing therapy. They are anticipated to fully take part in the Hajj exercise, according to Usman Galadima.
“We have been managing them in our facilities. We have about four psychiatrists in the team. We have been managing them and all of them would likely perform hajj because they are a bit stable now.”
The head of the medical team added that the 2023 Hajj clinic recorded two miscarriages and delivered one baby.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has announced that no fewer than 1.2 million pilgrims have arrived in the holy land of Makkah for the 2023 Hajj exercise.
The number is expected to swell with time as more pilgrims are expected to arrive before the country’s airports and seaports are officially closed.
Hajj, the yearly pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca, takes place during the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah.
The day of Arafat is the most significant among the days that pilgrims will spend in the Kingdom.
Arafat Day holds religious significance in the Islamic calendar and is a day of reflection and prayer.
Muslim pilgrims participating in the Hajj congregate on the fields of Arafat, just outside Mecca, on the Day of Arafat.
While the festival is celebrated on the 10th of Dhu al-Hijjah, the 12th and final month of the Islamic calendar, the exact date varies from year to year and is determined by the appearance of the new moon.