Nigerian pilgrim dies during Arafat rites

A Nigerian pilgrim has died while observing the sacred rites at the plain of Arafat, according to the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).

The Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Abdullahi Saleh Usman, confirmed the incident to journalists shortly after a national prayer session organized by NAHCON.

“We received as a sad news that we lost one of our pilgrims today in Arafat, and the other one died before we left Mecca,” he said.

Prof. Usman clarified that the cause of death was natural and dismissed speculation linking the incident to extreme weather conditions.

In line with protocol, NAHCON emphasized that the identity of the deceased should not be disclosed publicly by either the media or the Commission until the pilgrim’s family has been officially notified.