The Chairman, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, Dr Ibrahim Kana, has said the number of Nigerian pilgrims who have died while performing the 2019 Hajj in Saudi Arabia has risen to nine.

Kana disclosed this in Muna on Monday while briefing journalists on the activities of the medical team of NAHCON for the pilgrims.

Kana said, “The deceased, a Lagos State pilgrim, collapsed at Jamrat and was brought to hospital in Muna but died, she was hypertensive.”

Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria in Muna, Kana said the leader of the Lagos State team in Saudi for the Hajj, Alhaji AbdulLateef Abdulkarim, had identified the deceased as Alhaja Folashade Lawal.

He said the deceased hailed from Oshodi Local Government Area of the state, saying she slumped at 3am while heading for Jamrat to throw stones at the devil.

Throwing stones at the ‘devil’ is one of the Islamic rites towards an acceptable Hajj.

Kana said NAHCON opened 21 field offices in Muna with adequate drugs and ambulances.

A NAN correspondent, who visited the Nigerian camp in Muna, reported that many pilgrims, mostly women, were seen buying women’s wear and other gift items they claimed were meant for their families and friends at home.

The pilgrims, who will spend three days to accomplish religious rites in Muna, are expected to move to the Grand Mosque, Makkah on Tuesday to complete the remaining rites to ensure an acceptable hajj.