The Saudi Arabian Embassy in Nigeria has handed over compensation funds to the families of victims of the 2015 crane accident in the Makkah Grand Mosque.
Recall that after the September 11 incident, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud had ordered 1 million Saudi riyals compensation be paid exclusively to relatives of those killed in the crash and to victims who sustained permanent impairments.
Speaking during the handing over ceremony, the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia in Nigeria, Faisal Bin Ibraheem Al-Ghamidy, honored the deceased, advising the legitimate beneficiaries of the compensation to be judicious in managing the grants.
He advised beneficiaries to do what is right under Islamic shari’ah, especially to deceased’s dependents.
Mr Al-Ghamidy commended President Muhammadu Buhari, the Foreign Affairs Ministry, NAHCON and other stakeholders that contributed to the final resolution of the compensation.
He showered praises on His Majesty, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud for his magnanimity to victims of the crash.
Earlier, the Chairman, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, Zikrullah Kunle-Hassan, commended the Saudi government for their unalloyed support to officials charged with the responsibility of discharging the compensation.
Mr Hassan particularly commended the contribution of the Saudi embassy in Nigeria and the Nigerian embassy in Saudi Arabia in resolving the compensation status.
The NAHCON chairman was accompanied by Commissioner of Policy, Personnel Management, and Finance, Nura Hassan-Yakassai, lawyers representing the beneficiaries and the state boards’ officials.
The delegation comprised representatives of States Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards, lawyers representing relatives of the 2015 crane crash victims, and representatives of beneficiaries.
Ambassador Bolaji Akinremi, Director Consular and Legal Services in the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs was also present representing his ministry.
Similarly, lawyers of the victims commended NAHCON and the Saudi Embassy in Nigeria for doing a thorough and transparent job on behalf of the victims.
They appreciated the State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards for always consulting them on behalf of their clients.
Most of all, the lawyers commended the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for taking the essential steps towards finalizing the compensation.
