Makkah (Saudi Arabia) – No fewer than three million pilgrims converged at the plains of Arafat on Sunday to mark the climax of 2016 pilgrimage.
At least 62,000 Nigerians were part of the gathering, which saw pilgrims’ supplication, asking for Allah’s guidance and forgiveness.
Staying at Arafat from sunrise until sunset is the major rite of the pilgrimage.
The movement from Muna, where the pilgrims spent a night, started as early as 2:00 a.m. and was completed at about 10:00 a.m.
Pilgrims were camped in tents fully equipped with cooling system to alleviate the high temperature, which sometimes rose to 40 degrees centigrade.
Speaking to newsmen, the Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Alhaji Abdullahi Muktar, said the commission was able to conclude the movement of the pilgrims at about 9:00 a.m.
“The coordination and movement were unprecedented in our history,” and commended officials and pilgrims for their cooperation and discipline.
He said all the tents had cooling system and water coolers, while the quality of food served the pilgrims had greatly improved.
Muktar said further effort would be made to serve Nigerian dishes to pilgrims in subsequent years.
The chairman also announced that there was no incident of traffic accident involving Nigerian pilgrims, adding that so far 10 pilgrims were confirmed to have died.
He appealed to the pilgrims to continue to be law abiding “as we enter the final phase of the exercise’’.
Also speaking to newsmen, the Head of Medical Team, Dr Ibrahim Kana, said there was no reported case of serious medical problem during the stay at Arafat.
Meanwhile, special prayers were conducted for the progress of Nigeria and guidance of its leaders at Arafat.
Prayers were conducted in Arabic, English, Hausa, Ogoni and Yoruba by leading clerics.
Similar prayers were offered at various tents.
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