•Airlift of female pilgrims
A female intending pilgrim from Taraba State has died in Yola, Adamawa State, hours before departure for the 2026 Hajj in Saudi Arabia.
The deceased, identified as Hajiya Dado Hammadu from Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba State, reportedly fell ill shortly after arriving at the Yola International Airport with other intending pilgrims ahead of the airlift to Saudi Arabia, reports Daily Trust.
The Information Officer of the Taraba State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Hamza Baba Muri, confirmed the incident to our correspondent in a telephone interview.
He said the late Dado Hammadu became ill last night and was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre Yola, where she died hours later.
According to him, she was diagnosed with low blood pressure.
Muri said the deceased was buried in Yola today morning with the consent of her family members.
He added that the deceased was among the 415 pilgrims scheduled for the first batch of Taraba State’s 2026 Hajj airlift today, Monday, May 11, 2026.
According to him, the funeral prayer was attended by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Muslim Pilgrims Affairs, Alhaji Hamman’Adama Tukur; Chairman of the Yola International Airport Committee, Malam Jamal Abdul’nasir; staff of the Taraba State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board; and hundreds of intending pilgrims billed for the first flight.
It was earlier reported how a Nigerian pilgrim, Mallama Aishatu Muhammadu, died in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, days after arriving for the Hajj exercise.
The 73-year-old woman from Gombi Local Government Area of Adamawa State reportedly suffered a fatal cardiac arrest on Saturday while travelling from Jeddah to the holy city of Madinah.
