By Suzan Edeh

Bauchi—Days after the completion of this year’s Hajj, the state Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has said it was still searching for the whereabouts of five of its pilgrims.

Saudi emergency personnel stand near bodies of Hajj pilgrims at the site where at least 717 were killed and hundreds wounded in a stampede in Mina, near the holy city of Mecca, at the annual hajj in Saudi Arabia on September 24, 2015. The stampede, the second deadly accident to strike the pilgrims this year, broke out during the symbolic stoning of the devil ritual, the Saudi civil defence service said. AFP PHOTO / STR

The Executive Secretary of the board, Alhaji Aliyu Suleman, who disclosed this yesterday while fielding questions from newsmen in Bauchi, said officials of the board had visited hospitals in Mina and Mecca to search for the missing pilgrims in their mortuaries and hospital beds.

He said: “Only one pilgrim from Darazo local government area, one Alhaji Sule Ibrahim has been confirmed death in the Mina stampede from the state.

“All the state pilgrims are now in Mecca while those who sustained injuries have been taken to the hospital and have since been discharged.”

Suleiman used the medium to call on the people of the state, particularly those whose relatives were currently in Saudi Arabia for this years’ pilgrimage to refrain from unconfirmed reports on the number of casualties from the state in the stampede.

He assured that as soon as investigation on the missing pilgrims was completed, it would be made known to the public.

Over about 800 pilgrims died as a result of the incident.

2, 842 people from the state performed this years’ Hajj in Saudi Arabia.