Nigerian Hajj pilgrims in Makkah are safe after a hotel fire, confirmed by NAHCON. No lives were lost as all 484 pilgrims were in Mina at the time of the incident

[dropcap]H[/dropcap]ajj pilgrims safe That’s the reassuring news from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) following a fire incident at a hotel accommodating 484 Nigerian pilgrims in Makkah on Saturday. Thankfully, no lives were lost, and all pilgrims were accounted for and safe.

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The incident occurred at the Imaratus Sanan Hotel around noon (KSA time) on Saturday while the Nigerian pilgrims were fulfilling their spiritual obligations in Mina.

Fatima Usara, spokesperson for NAHCON, confirmed the details in a statement, noting, “NAHCON regrets to inform the public of a fire incident that occurred earlier Saturday around 12:00 noon (KSA time), at one of the hotels accommodating Nigerian pilgrims on Shari Mansur Street in Makkah.”

She further clarified, “The affected hotel, Imaratus Sanan, was hosting about 484 pilgrims from six Nigerian Private Tour Operator Companies.

Thankfully, no lives were lost, and all pilgrims were safe in Mina.” The swift response from Saudi authorities and the hotel management was crucial in containing the fire and preventing it from spreading throughout the building.

Following the incident, the Chairman/CEO of NAHCON, Abdullahi Saleh, promptly visited the location to assess the situation and ensure the welfare of the affected pilgrims was prioritised.

He was accompanied by Aliu Abdulrazak, Commissioner for Policy, Personnel Management, and Finance, and Director Alidu Shutti, the Deputy Makkah Coordinator.

Mr Saleh immediately ordered the relocation of the affected pilgrims to new accommodation. He extended his commiserations to those impacted, assuring them that the commission would provide every possible support within its capacity to mitigate the incident’s effects.

He also pledged that NAHCON would collaborate closely with the affected tour operators to ensure pilgrims were relocated and received all necessary assistance.

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The Chairman and his team expressed their appreciation for the prompt response of the Saudi emergency services and the cooperation of the hotel staff in managing the challenging situation.