Hajj 2023: Nigerian Pilgrims Suffer Shortage of Tents, Food in Mina
By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem, in Mina
AREWA AGENDA – Some Nigerian pilgrims performing the ongoing Hajj exercise in Saudi Arabia are finding it difficult to access tents to lay their heads in Mina.
Mina, a suburb of Makkah which is mine kilometres away from the Holy City, is the historic site where pilgrims are expected to lay under tents for a few days starting on the 8th of Dhul Hujah to signal the commencement of Hajj for the year.
About 95,000 pilgrims from Nigeria are among the over two million Muslims from across the world who started arriving in Mina by 12am on Monday.
Contrary to the repeated assurances by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) that everything is in place to ensure a hitch-free Hajj exercise, many of the pilgrims could not however get spaces in tents to lay their heads.
PRNIGERIA observes that the number of Nigerian pilgrims has overwhelmed the tents made available for the country.
While majority of the pilgrims got spaces in the tents, hundreds of them have had to squeeze themselves into tents not meant for their states or seek refuge in open spaces under the sun.
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PRNIGERIA can report that many Nigerian pilgrims have now resorted to laying on the roads outside the tents to pass the night.
Speaking in an exclusive chat with PRNIGERIA, a pilgrim from Kaduna state, Alhaji Kehinde Salisu, lamented the situation which has forced him and his brothers to take refuge on the road outside the tents, adding that the Nigerian authorities ought to have made tents available on the basis of the number of pilgrims in Saudi Arabia.
He however concluded that the shortage of tents and food could be a test from Allah, adding that he was grateful to the creator and NAHCON for making the journey from Nigeria possible despite initial hiccups.
PRNIGERIA also saw some FCT (Abuja) pilgrims outside looking stranded and frustrated. One of them who identified himself as Alhaji Aliyu Salih, complained that they have been suffering since they arrived Mina in the morning and had to roam about the place due to lack of adequate accommodation in the tents.
He also complained about the food which he said has not been forthcoming as some of them have had to starve all day or feed on inadequate meals only once.
He expressed hope that the Nigerian authorities would address the situation before the pilgrims return to Mina after performing mandatory rites in Arafat and Muzdalifa.
