Sanusi wants details of Hajj tragedy victims published on Internet

THE Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, on Wednesday urged the Saudi Arabia government to publish details of victims of the Mina stampede on a dedicated website.

More than 749 pilgrims died and 805 others were injured during a stampede on the way to the Jamrat complex (stoning site) in Mina, Mecca.

Sixty-four Nigerians were confirmed dead; 71 injured during the incident; while 244 people were declared missing by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).

Sanusi, who is the leader of the Nigeria Central Coordinating Team for this year’s Hajj, made the call at the post-Arafat meeting organised by NAHCON in Jeddah.

At this age of technology, why can’t the Saudi authorities put the photos of the deceased on a website so that people can identify them easily without having to be moved from one hospital or place to another. We have to demand for it,” Sanusi stressed.

The Leader, Medical Team of NAHCON, Dr. Ibrahim Kana, earlier said that 1,180 bodies had been identified so far through face photographs and fingerprints.
He, however, lamented that only 150 corpses had been buried so far by Saudi authorities.
Kana said of the 1,180 bodies identified, 64 were Nigerians, adding that 71 Nigerians sustained injuries during the incident.