The Kwara Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board on Wednesday disbursed N2.1 million to relations of 12 pilgrims from the state who died in Saudi Arabia stampede during 2015 Hajj.
The relations and next of kins of each of the 12 victims received a cheque of N167,598 from the Board.
The cheques were presented to the representatives of the victims by Alhaji Olountoyin. Mohammed, the Director, Economic Affairs at the Governor’s office, on behalf of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji lsiaka Gold.
The representative of the SSG advised the relations of the deceased to regard the demise of their beloved ones in Saudi Arabia as an act of God.
He prayed God to give them the fortitude to bear the loss and grant the deceased eternal rest.
The Executive Secretary of the Board, Hajiya Fatima Abolore-Jimoh, said the amount was a refund returned by the Saudi Arabian authority through the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria.
She said the refund which covered fares for the return flight of the victims, intra-transport in the holy land and feeding was not compensation from Saudi Arabia.
The executive secretary added that refund for 2015 Hajj would end on Friday to enable the Board to commence activities for 2016.
The event featured a special prayer for the repose of the soul of the 12 victims from the state.
It would be recalled that many pilgrims from Nigeria died after performing Arafat during a stampede in Jamrat and 12 of them
were from Kwara.
