Hajj: Kaduna pilgrim dies in Makkah

From Mohammad Ibrahim, Makkah

In what appears to be the first casualty for Kaduna state, one pilgrim from Kaduna-North local government area of the state, Alhaji Yusuf Ibrahim died in Makkah after a brief illness.

The state’s Muslim Welfare Pilgrims Board overseer, Alhaji Kabir Kassim yesterday announced the death, while giving an update of the Hajj exercise in Makkah, saying the pilgrim died last Saturday.

“He died after all attempts by our medical team to treat him failed; he was an elderly person and his health deteriorated immediately he arrived the Holy Land. May Allah forgive him of all his wrongdoings; he has been buried in Makkah city,” he said.

The overseer, who spoke through his director of operation, Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Kagarko, appealed to all those who have aged parents or relatives that want to travel to Saudi for Hajj to always accompany them with a younger person that will assist them in the Holy Land.

“Apart from this pilgrim that died, all our pilgrims are in good health and have all returned to Makkah from Mina. We give thanks to Allah for keeping all our pilgrims in good health,” he said.

Alhaji Abdullahi Kagarko further explained that the feeding arrangement introduced at Mina was a success, because according to him, pilgrims were fed all through their stay in Muna and Arafat.

He commended the good conduct of the state pilgrims, saying they have really cooperated with the board.

On the challenges faced, Kassim said, “ That has to do with the lack of proper understanding of the foreign currency given to our pilgrims, which led to some of them to be duped by some bad elements in the city,” he said.