By Mubarak Mahmood
As the Hajj pilgrimage continues, many get lost between Arafat ground, the plains of Muzdalifah and Muna to Jamrah, which are holy sites interconnected in activities spanning the 9th and 10th of Dhul-Hijjah.
These are the days when pilgrims move from Arafat which is the most important pillar of the Hall exercise to Muzdalifah, then proceed to Jamrat for the stoning ritual.
Getting lost during this period is not uncommon, considering the gathering of millions of people from around the world, language barrier and the complex nature of the Hajj rites.
To manage this, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON deployed Field Support Officers across Mina to patrol the area after pilgrims return from Jamrat, helping those who are lost to find their way back to designated tents.
One of the field officers, Sani Shafii, told our correspondent, “A lot of people get lost under normal circumstances, especially during the three days pilgrims spend in Mina. The crowd is overwhelming, and people easily lose track of their tents.”
A pilgrim who was found after being separated from his group shared his experience saying, “I got lost after stoning at Jamrat. I tried to follow the crowd but ended up in the wrong direction. I’m grateful to the officials who helped me back.”
Similarly, Mahmood Muhammad and Musa Umar had this to say, “We met a group from Kebbi State who went straight to Makkah for Tawaf al-Ifadah after stoning. They all needed to return to Mina before sunset to complete the rites properly.”
Meanwhile, a group of women from Kano State were helped by a NAHCON staff Aminu Kabir, who advised them to download the “Hajj Companion” mobile application on their smartphones to help them find their tents and avoid getting lost.
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