A female intending pilgrim from Taraba State has died in Yola, Adamawa State, just hours before she was scheduled to depart for the 2026 Hajj exercise 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 alongside other pilgrims for the planned airlift.
She was said to have developed health complications on Sunday night and was immediately rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Yola, where she later died in the early hours of Monday.
The Information Officer of the Taraba State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Hamza Baba Muri, confirmed the incident, saying the pilgrim was diagnosed with low blood pressure before her death.
According to him, the deceased was among 415 pilgrims scheduled for the first batch of Taraba State’s 2026 Hajj airlift on Monday, May 11, 2026.
Muri said she was buried in Yola on Monday morning in accordance with Islamic rites, with the consent of her family.
He added that the funeral prayer was attended by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Muslim Pilgrims Affairs, Alhaji Hamman’Adama Tukur; officials of the Taraba State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board; the Chairman of the Yola International Airport Committee, Malam Jamal Abdul’nasir; and hundreds of intending pilgrims.
The incident comes amid similar tragedies involving Nigerian pilgrims, including a recent case of a 73-year-old Adamawa pilgrim who died in Saudi Arabia shortly after arriving for the holy pilgrimage.
The Hajj exercise, one of Islam’s five pillars, draws millions of Muslims annually to Saudi Arabia for the spiritual journey to Mecca and Madinah.
