Alhaji Mannir Dan’iya, Leader of Sokoto State Pilgrims (Amirul Hajj) has said only one pilgrim died out of the 3,496 pilgrims that performed Hajj during 2019 pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.

Muslim pilgrims pray outside the Namirah mosquee at Mount Arafat, also known as Jabal al-Rahma (Mount of Mercy), southeast of the Saudi holy city of Mecca, as the climax of the Hajj pilgrimage approaches on August 10, 2019. – Arafat is the site where Muslims believe the Prophet Mohammed gave his last sermon about 14 centuries ago after leading his followers on the pilgrimage. The ultra-conservative kingdom, which is undergoing dramatic social and economic reforms, has mobilised vast resources for the six-day journey, one of the five pillars of Islam. (Photo AFP)

Dan’iya, who is also State Deputy Governor, disclosed this in a statement signed by his media aide, Malam Aminu Abubakar, and issued to journalists on Sunday in Sokoto.

2019 Hajj: 28, 612 pilgrims back home in 59 flight – NAHCON(Opens in a new browser tab)

“Out of the entire pilgrims from Sokoto State, we lost only an elderly woman in Madina due to severe ailment and she was buried in the holy city of Madina,’’ Dan’iya said.

He said that the last batch of 235 Pilgrims arrived in Sokoto on Saturday while describing the just concluded 2019 Hajj as hitch-free and successful.

“Since July 21 this year when Governor Aminu Tambuwal inaugurated the first flight, the exercise continued and recorded maximum success as all 3,496 Pilgrims were airlifted to the Holy land.

“The pilgrims first visited Madina, the city of Prophet Muhammad where they offered ritual visitations of historic sites before the commencement of the Hajj,’’ Dan’iya said.

He said that the Governor, through the State Pilgrims Welfare Agency, made befitting arrangement for hotels for pilgrims near the Holy Ka’abah to ease transportation and performance of their religious rites.

Dan’iya also lauded Governor Tambuwal’s Sallah Gift of N24,000 to each pilgrim, totaling over N80million.

“This is in addition to 3 free meals and free medical care offered to the pilgrims since their arrival in the Holy land,’’ he said.

The Amirul Hajj also said that the pilgrims exhibited good manners and were good ambassadors of Sokoto and Nigeria as no pilgrim from Sokoto was caught doing anything untoward to tarnish the good image of the country throughout the exercise.

Dan’iya commended Tambuwal for his full support to the State 2019 Hajj team, pilgrims, airliners and the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) for ensuring an all-round successful exercise. (NAN)

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