Iran Blames Hajj Tragedy On Saudi Prince.

Iran has alleged that the convoy of Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Crown Prince and Defense Minister Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud caused panic among pilgrims which resulted in the stampede that left 725 persons dead and 863 injured.

Insisting that Saudi Arabia must accept responsibility for the tragic incident, the spokesman for Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Keyvan Khosravi, told Iranian news agency that
“Sources revealed that the convoy of Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Crown Prince and Defense Minister Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud caused panic among millions of pilgrims and started the stampede that has so far claimed the lives of 1,300 in Mina, near Mecca, on Thursday.

“The large convoy of Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud, the King’s son and deputy crown prince, that was escorted by over 3,500 security forces, including 200 army men and 150 policemen, sped up the road to go through the pilgrims that were moving towards the site of the ‘Stoning the Devil’ ritual, causing panic among millions of pilgrims who were on the move from the opposite direction and caused the stampede.”

Thursday's stampede was the worst incident to occur in Mecca during the hajj since 1990, when 1,426 pilgrims also lost their lives in a stampede.

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Hajj Stampede : See The Nationalities Of The Victims

The victims of last Thursday's stampede in Saudi Arabia cut across nationalities. The trouble happened as pilgrims were going to stone the devil

See the breakdown of the victims according to their countries of origin.

Algeria(3 killed, 6 injured); Bangladesh( 4 dead); China (1 dead); Egypt( 8killed, 20 injured); Turkey( 4 dead), Netherlands (1dead); India( 4 dead, 2 injured); Indonesia(3 dead, 1 injured); Iran (131 dead,60 injured); Morocco(87 dead); Nigeria( 8 dead, 6 injured) Oman( 5 injured) ; Pakistan(7 dead) and Sudan (1 dead, 2 injured); Unknown(558 dead, 761injured).

This is the figure as at Friday.

Source: THE NATION

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Prominent Northerners Want To Reverse Our Gains - Army

The Army said it has detected plans by certain prominent elements from the northeast to scuttle the ongoing war on terror.

Army spokesman Col Sani Usman said that some people were bent on reversing the gains of the fight against the militant group, Boko Haram. He said that the mischief makers were engaging the services of nongovernmental organizations and marabouts to perpetrate their unwholesome plans.

He warned that the Army was aware of those planning to sabotage its efforts and would not hesitate to deal with them.

His words ;
“The Nigerian Army wishes to inform the public and send a very strong warning to some prominent individuals and political groups who hail from Borno State in particular and North-East generally, that there is information of plans by some highly placed individuals and political groups to scuttle the fight against terrorism and insurgency in this country.

“The unscrupulous individuals and their cohorts are determined to reverse the gains made and scuttle our efforts of achieving the Presidential directive to defeat Boko Haram terrorists within three months. They are enlisting the services of some non-governmental organisations in this grand design.

“It has come to our knowledge that they are employing every means to see that our operation does not succeed in order for them to continue to enjoy certain benefits.

“It has been revealed that they are employing the services of   marabouts and other unethical means in order to frustrate our efforts and the operations in addition to campaign of calumny.

“We are aware of their clandestine meetings and other diabolical efforts to achieve their nefarious aims. This would not be tolerated.

“Therefore, such individuals and groups should be warned in unmistakable terms that anyone found would be dealt with accordingly.”

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Hajj : How The Stampede Happened

Photo: How Saudi security forces caused the stampede by fencing off walkway & closing the gate http://lindaikeji.blogspot.com/2015/09/photo-how-saudi-security-forces-caused.html

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200 Boko Haram Fighters Surrender To Nigerian Troops

The Nigerian Army declared on Friday that more than 200 Boko Haram Fighters gave up their arms following the capture of Banki on the border with Cameroun by Nigerian troops.

Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Yusha’u Abubakar told newsmen that after the fall of Banki on Thursday, over 200 insurgents willingly submitted themselves to Nigerian forces.

He said, “I have just received information from our troops about an hour ago that over 200 Boko Haram insurgents surrendered to them.”

Nigeria's military chiefs say they are doing everything possible to achieve President Buhari’s December deadline for the complete defeat of Boko Haram.

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Buhari In New York City (Photos)

President Muhammadu Buhari left Nigeria for New York on Thursday night after observing Sallah prayers in Daura.

See photos of his arrival at JFK International Airport.

Credits : Vanguard

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1 year old boy, home alone burnt to death in Abuja.

In a Friday morning fire incident that happened in Kubwa, a suburb of Abuja, the Isah family had their Sallah ruined when their one year old son was consumed in a fire incident.

Mrs Isah had lit up the stove before locking the door behind her, leaving the toddler alone in their single room apartment as she dashed out to buy condiments.

By the time Mrs Isah returned, the toddler had dragged the lighted stove upon himself, setting himself and the house on fire.

Sources said the toddler was dead before help could come and has already been buried according to Islamic rites.

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