The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has taken measures to save Nigerian pilgrims from sudden death after 19 pilgrims from Jordan and Iran died of severe heatstroke while trekking en route Mina tents to Jamarat to observe the rite of throwing pebble.
During the ritual, Muslim pilgrims throw pebbles at three walls called Jamarat, in the city of Mina, east of Mecca.
It is a symbolic reenactment of Ibrahim’s (or Abraham’s) hajj, where he stoned three pillars representing the Shaitan, and Muslims’ temptation to disobey the will of Allah.
The Saudi police and paramedics evacuated the bodies on Sunday at different locations, along the road to Jamarat.
Another Asian was spotted under the shed of a bridge trying to resuscitate his spouse from the heatstroke.
There were wailings of siren from ambulances as paramedics rushed to attend to emergencies along the route.
Meanwhile, as the Jamarat rite entered second day, NAHCON Monday asked Nigerian pilgrims to defer their movement to the symbolic throwing of pebbles at the devil till after 4 pm (Saudi Arabia local time) to avoid the scorching sun.
NAHCON gave the advisory in a notice, quoting the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
“The Office of Hajj Affairs and service providers are tasked with ensuring compliance, and they will bear responsibility for any violations thereof,” it stated.