The Federal Capital Territory Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Board has said that it will, on Saturday (today), conduct a headcount of its pilgrims in Saudi Arabia.
The Director of the board, Mallam Mohammed Bashir, disclosed this in an interview with journalists in Saudi Arabia yesterday, while commenting on the stampede that claimed more than 700 lives in Mecca.
He said the medical team of the board had gone round all the hospitals to find out if any FCT pilgrim was among the dead.
The director stated that a headcount of all pilgrims would be conducted as soon as they return to Makkah on Saturday.
He condoled with the families of those who died in the stampede, adding that he would continue to ensure that the pilgrims were comfortable.
The monarch said that Saudi authorities had begun steps to upgrade Hajj services.
He said he had instructed the authorities concerned to review the arrangements to ensure better management of pilgrims’ movement.
The spokesman of the Interior, Maj. Gen. Al-Turki, said the incident occurred as a result of pilgrims’ movement toward the Street 204 intersecting with the Street 223.
He added that high temperature and fatigue due to pilgrims’ stay at Arafat could also be other factor.