By Ado Hassan, Sokoto
The Director General of the Sokoto state Pilgrims Welfare Agency(PWA), Alhaji Ibrahim Umar has confirmed the death in Makkah of two pilgrims, a male and female from the state following natural causes.
The deceased pilgrims were Luba Usman and Musa Haruna, from Illela and Gada Local Governments respectively.
Umar is said to have made the disclosure while given updates on the state’s pilgrims situation Sunday in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Umar explained that late Luba Usman was eating her breakfast on Saturday morning ,when she collapsed and died, while she was hale and hearty. While late Musa Haruna, who was in the first flight of Gada Local Government, was on the queue on Saturday night for the weighing of his hand luggage.
” The deceased who was also together with his son, just lied down to rest and that was the end of his life”, the DG further said.
According to the PWA Boss, the deceased pilgrims had since been buried according to Islamic rites after their funeral prayers were conducted at the Holy Mosque in Makkah.
Meanwhile, the first flight of the state’s pilgrims had arrived Sokoto, with 550 pilgrims from Gada and Sabon-Birni Local Governments.
In the same vein, the second flight is expected to leave the King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah for Sokoto by 11pm on Monday, with 520 pilgrims.
Umar further said that the officials of the agency and the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria ( NAHCON), had met with the officials of the airlines.
The DG added that the meeting was to ensure that the airlines adhered strictly to the schedule of fights.
” They have assured us that all Nigerian pilgrims will be transported back to Nigeria before the October 5,2017 deadline given by the Saudi authorities.
” I am assuring all the pilgrims that none of them will be left here and everybody will be transported back to Nigeria in the respective flights they were brought into the Holy land,” Umar, added.
Umar also stated that all the state’s 4852 pilgrims were hale and hearty.