Nigerian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia (file photo)

No fewer than two million pilgrims from around the world and inside Saudi Arabia have assembled in Mecca to perform their Hajj rituals beginning from Wednesday, according to a local Newspaper, The Saudi Gazette.

The News Agency of Nigeria  (NAN ) reports that the pilgrims would move to Muna where they will stay for five days during which they will throw pebbles at the Satan.

They will also slaughter their sacrificial animals and proceed to the Grand Mosque to do tawaf Al-Ifadah, which culminates the rites.

According to the Newspaper,  pilgrims will early Thursday proceed to Arafat, a valley, which is about nine kilometers away from Mecca, where they will stay from morning to sunset at the Hajj climax.

The Saudi Health Authorities said there were no epidemics or contagious diseases among the Guests of God, so far.

The authorities said as many as 357 pilgrims from various nationalities had been admitted to hospitals in Mecca.

They said on improvement and recovery, the pilgrims would be “discharged to do their Hajj rituals but those who are still sick will be taken by ambulances to the Holy Sites to complete their pilgrimage”.

A total of 48 beds had been provided in Mina Al-Wadi (valley) Hospital for the sunstroke and heat exhaustion.

Meanwhile, the Presidency of the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques has provided about 15,000 electric cars and wheelchairs for the old and the pilgrims of special needs to use free of charge in the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah.

The presidency said the cars could be obtained at the western and eastern plazas of the Grand Mosque. This is in addition to a number of other the cars and wheelchairs offered for rent.

Similarly,  the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has announced that a total of 865, 800 pilgrims had visited Madinah before the Hajj to pay homage to Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) and pray in His mosque.

According to a statistical report by the branch of the ministry, until Sunday, Aug. 27,  there were 51,277 pilgrims remaining in Madinah consisting of 16,478 pilgrims from Nigeria.

About 8,000 Saudi boy scouts are volunteering to serve the pilgrims providing them with direction and guidance.

They are stationed in Makkah, Madinah,  the Holy Sites, the Hajj air terminals and the land and sea inlets.

NAN reports that no fewer than 91,000 Nigerian pilgrims have arrived Saudi Arabia for the Hajj, according to statistics by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON ).

(NAN)