Ex-Vice President expresses regret on death of pilgrims

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has expressed regret on the death of more than 747 Muslims on Sept. 17 in a stampede during pilgrimage in Mecca.

A statement issued in Abuja by the Head of Media to Atiku, Mr Paul Ibe, described the incident as one of the grievous accidents to have befallen Muslims in recent memories.

According to the statement, Atiku notes that such colossal loss of human lives is rare and remarkably regrettable.

"Life is so precious that whoever dies, the world should be united in grief because we are bound by our common humanity.

'The late Hajiya Bilkisu Yusuf, one of the Nigerian victims, was a shining light of the journalism profession in Nigeria,' it said.