An accident involving pilgrims to this year’s Hajj has claimed the lives of three Nigerian pilgrims.

Head of Nigeria’s medical team, Mr Ibrahim Kana, said the accident occurred Friday morning along Madinah to Makkah highway.

“We just received the news that the accident involving our pilgrims occurred at about 120 kilometers from Madinah to Makkah,” he said.

Kana also said a team from Nigeria was on the way to the scene of the accident to meet with those already deployed by Saudi authorities.

After visiting the scene, the doctor later said based on the names in the medical data of the Nigerian hajj commission, the dead pilgrims are “Shinkafi Mudi Mallamawa, male, born 10/02/1952, Passport number: A09413309, Abdullahi Jafaru Gidan Sambo, male, date of birth 03/07/1956, Passport number: A09413813 and Abdullahi Shugaba, male, date of birth 22/05/1963, Passport number: A50080535”.

Kana also said after a team from National Medical Team was dispatched to the scene of the accident “the three bodies were moved to King Fahd Hospital, Madina while the remaining survivors are in a hospital near the scene, I.e 120km from Madina.”

Also, acting chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), in Zamfara State, Mr Abdulrazak Kaura, who is also in Saudi Arabia said the three pilgrims confirmed dead are chairmen of local council chapters of governing All Progressives Congress (APC), in Zamfara State.

Kaura said Jafarau Gidan Sambo is APC chairman of Kaura Namoda Local Government, Mudi Mallamawa of Shinkafi Local Government and Abdullahi Shugabaof Maru Local Government Area.

He also said others involved in the accident but who survived include Nasiru Anka of Anka Local Government, Tafa Nasarawa Bukkuyum of Bukkuyum Iocal Government and Garba Ziti of Gummi Local Government. The injured are receiving treatment at a medical facility.

PT