TheCable

A yet-to-be-confirmed number of Nigerians were among those who died on Thursday in a stampede at the annual pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, TheCable understands.

A clearer picture is expected to emerge when the Saudi authorities make an official pronouncement later in the day, with 717 pilgrims reported to have died, although there are various estimates.

The country’s civil defence said about 805 people also sustained injuries.

It was not immediately clear what had caused the stampede.

Pilgrims had assembled in Mina, outside Mecca, to throw pebbles at one of three walls representing Satan, the symbolic ‘stoning of the devil’, which marks the last day of the pilgrimage.

The hajj, which is among the five pillars of Islam, has been free of stampedes for years.

The last time such incident happened was in 2006, when 364 pilgrims were killed during the stoning ritual in Mina.

Earlier this month, 109 people were killed in a crane crash at Mecca’s Grand Mosque.

About 2 million people are taking part in this year’s pilgrimage, which began on Tuesday.