Four Nigerian pilgrims have died in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the 2026 Hajj, the Head of the Nigerian Medical Mission, Dr Ibrahim Abubakar, has said.

The deaths, which occurred in Makkah and along the route to Madinah, involved Nigerian pilgrims who arrived for this year’s Hajj exercise in the Kingdom.

Dr Abubakar spoke on Thursday in Makkah during an interview with Nigerian journalists, explaining that all four cases were linked to cardiac-related conditions.

According to him, the first death occurred outside Makkah and Madinah, along the route from Jeddah to Madinah. He said the pilgrim was initially treated in Jeddah before the situation worsened.

“The first case we had was not even within Makkah and Madinah. We were told right from Jeddah, between Jeddah and Madinah. I think about 50 kilometers to Madinah.

“She was first seen in Jeddah in one of the hospitals there. I think Saudi German Hospital. We were told that it was a case of cardiac arrest or heart attack, so to say. So we don’t know details of that. So that was the first casualty from Adamawa State.”

He said the second case involved a pilgrim from Nasarawa State who also died from what was suspected to be a heart-related condition.

Abubakar informed that the second case was from Nasarawa State as the deceased also died of heart problem.

“We suspected myocardial infarction, that’s heart attack too. I think the complaint was chest pain and before you know it, she was gone,” he said, adding that all the deaths recorded were female pilgrims.

He added that the third case involved a woman with a strangulated umbilical hernia, who later developed complications before she could be transferred for advanced care.

“Then the third one had this, what we call, umbilical hernia. Hernia that was strangulated. A woman again. All of them are women.”

According to him, her condition worsened before she could reach the King Abdulaziz Hospital in Makkah.

The fourth case, he said, involved a very obese pilgrim who presented at the NAHCON main clinic in Misfala.

Dr Abubakar informed that the fourth case was a very obese patient that attended to at NAHCON main clinic at Misfala on Wednesday.

“What we found on her anti ulcer drugs and anti-lactivity. She was fat with history of chest pain too. So, it again points towards heart attack.”

He also disclosed that several pilgrims had been referred to Saudi hospitals since the beginning of the medical mission, with 24 cases in Madinah and more than 30 in Makkah.

He revealed that the Nigerian medical team had referred 24 cases to Saudi hospitals in Madinah, while over 30 cases had been referred to Saudi hospitals in Makkah since the inception of the medical mission.

“In Madinah, we have about 24 referrals since the inception of the clinic. And here (in Makkah), over 30,” he informed.

Dr Abubakar said the medical mission had carried out sensitisation for pilgrims before departure from Nigeria, especially on the harsh weather conditions expected in Saudi Arabia.

He also advised pilgrims against unnecessary movement under high temperatures, warning that exhaustion could affect their ability to complete the Hajj rites.

While informing that with the approval of Saudi Arabian health authorities, the Nigerian Medical Mission established two clinics in Madinah and three in Makkah, adding these were being manned by competent and qualified medical professionals.

“Nigerians are blessed with very intelligent doctors. All over the world, you know, they know Nigerian doctors are very good.

“To break it down, we have a total of 287 medical personnel. Doctors, I think, about 80 of us, nurses like that, and the pharmacists and with various specialties. We have public physicians, we have general physicians, endocrinologists, we have orthopedic surgeon, all of them like that are here,” he said.

Dr Abubakar added that the National Medical Team would continue working with state contingents to strengthen healthcare delivery for Nigerian pilgrims during the exercise.
By Saliu Gbadamosi
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