The number of Nigerians who died in the rush at Hajj pilgrimage has risen to three. The spokesman for Nigeria's Hajj Board has confirmed this. Uba Mana, who is in Mina said there was around 76,000 Nigerian pilgrims at the Hajj this year.

Those whose deaths have been confirmed are:


- Prof Tijani al-Miskin, an academic from Maiduguri, who also the chairman of the Borno state pilgrims board.

- Dr Hafsat Shittu, a pharmacist

- Bilkisu Yusuf, a journalist.

He said that he would be confirming if there were other Nigerian casualties soon and rejected allegations that some African pilgrims were undisciplined, leading to the tragedy.

BBC