Sokoto gives N500,000 to each family of hajj stampede victims

Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto has announced a monetary donation of N500,000 to each of the 138 families of the 2015 hajj stampede from the state.

A breakdown of the number of victims showed that 114 pilgrims from Sokoto were confirmed dead, 22 are still missing while two are injured and receiving treatment.

A statement by Mr. Tambuwal’s spokesman, Imam Imam, said the governor announced the donation while receiving the report of the 2015 hajj committee in Sokoto on Tuesday.

Mr. Tambuwal said even though the government could not compensate the families for the loss of their loved ones, the gesture was in fulfillment of the promise he made when the tragedy occurred in September this year.

He said the families had endured pains since the incident, and commended them for their patience and prayers.

He said government would continue to put in place measures that would enhance the hajj exercise by boosting safety and logistics of pilgrims.

In his remarks, the leader of the state delegation to this year’s hajj and Deputy Governor of Sokoto, Ahmed Aliyu, said Sokoto pilgrims exhibited good conduct while in the Holy Land.

He appealed to the government to sustain the state feeding programme for pilgrims at transit camps at home and abroad, and announced that Kware and Gwadabawa local government areas received special awards for maintaining good sanitation in Saudi Arabia.