By Ikenna Asomba

Senator representing Bayelsa East Senatorial district, Ben Bruce, on Thursday, commiserated with the families of pilgrims who lost their lives earlier today, following a huge stampede at the hajj in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

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

Bruce who took to his Twitter handle, @benmurraybruce to express his sadness over the tragedy, also called on the Nigerian Federal government to immediately activate an emergency line for Nigerians concerned about their relatives to make enquiries.

He said: “My heart goes out to the pilgrims who died at the stampede at Mecca earlier today. May they find al jannah firdaus. God rest their souls!!

“I call on the Federal Government of Nigeria to immediately activate an emergency number or a site for Nigerians concerned about their relatives in Mecca.”

Recall that a huge stampede killed at least 717 people and injured hundreds more at the hajj in Saudi Arabia on Thursday, in one of the worst-ever tragedies at the annual Muslim pilgrimage.

The stampede, the second deadly accident to hit the pilgrims this month following a crane collapse in Mecca, broke out during the symbolic stoning of the devil ritual.