Hajj: 3 Zamfara council chairmen die in auto crash

The Hajj Commission in Zamfara on Friday confirmed the death of three local government chairmen of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the state in an auto crash in Saudi Arabia.

The Public Relations Officer of the commission, Malam Yakub-Yahaya Talata-Mafara, confirmed the death to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in a telephone interview.

Talata-Mafara said that the accident occurred around 3.00a.m on Friday, while they were travelling from Makkah to Madina, Saudi Arabia.

According to him, the victims are six local government chairmen of APC from the state.

“Three of them died, while three others are receiving treatment at Saudi Arabia Hospital,’’ Talata-Mafara told NAN.

He said that remains of the deceased were under the custody of the Saudi Arabian authorities where they would be processed for burial.

“Hajj officials of the Zamfara contingents are making the necessary documentation to join the Saudi Arabian authorities in order to give the deceased befitting burial,’’ he said.

Reacting, the state APC Chairman, Alhaji Lawal M-Liman, described the death as a great loss to the state and Nigeria as a whole.

M-Liman described the deceased as loyal members of the party who had been in good relationship with their communities.