'I make am back to my tent before I collapse'

“Na God save me. I make am back to my tent before I partially lose consciousness,” Aisha Dada, one Nigerian student wey dey travel back from Hajj for Mecca tok.

Tragedy spoil dis year pilgrimage, as more dan 900 pilgrims from different nationalities lose dia lives, most of dem sake of to heat-related causes, according to one AFP news agency count.

Although Aisha, wey no wan tok her real name, no witness anyone wey die wit her eyes, she tell BBC say she see as many pipo collapse for road.

“I see so many tins wey break my heart wit elderly pipo dis Hajj” she tok. “In my opinion, every single elderly pesin suppose get personal guardian. E suppose be condition before dem fit come.”

Di once-in-a-lifetime journey for financially and physically capable Muslims, bin officially end on Wednesday.

BBC neva fit independently verify di reported death toll.

On 19 and 20 June, BBC bin ask Saudi authorities to comment on di deaths plus di criticism organisers don receive but dem no receive any official response.

Aisha say many pilgrims no follow di safety instructions Saudi Arabia authorities give.

Serious heat for Saudi, wit temperatures wey go as high as 51.8 degrees Celsius (125 F) for inside shade, dey believed to be major factor behind di high death toll.

Despite warnings from di Saudi Health Ministry to avoid heat exposure and stay hydrated, many pilgrims fall victim to heat stress and heatstroke.

Many elderly pipo pilgrims wey sick dey go Hajj towards di end of dia life, either afta dem don save money for a lifetime, or in di hope say wen dem die, dem go die for dia.

Dis na one of di reasons wey make deaths dey, dey every year for Hajj.

For 2022-23 season, na about two hundred deaths dey recorded.

Aisha say she bin only experience di peak of di sun once during Arafat (di last day of Hajj) wen she go outside to record one video for Jabal Rahmah.

She bin waka for only ten minutes wen e be like say my blood dey melt under my skin,” she tok and she feel herself dey lose consciousness and waka go back to her tent.

“If I fall down for road, help fit come but e no sure.”

Although di weather conditions bin dey harsh and na tough experience, she tok say “getting to see di holy site still be like dream. I no get words to describe am.”

Official Hajj visas

To perform Hajj, pilgrim must apply for one special Hajj visa. To get on official Hajj convoy from Nigeria fit cost around $5300 (£4,200) per pesin.

So some individuals dey try go on di pilgrimage without di proper documentation.

Dis issue of "unofficial Hajj" dey believed say dey contribute to di excess deaths.

Di head of Nigeria National Medical Team, 2024 Hajj, Abubakar Adamu-Ismaeel for one press briefing wey dey livestreamed on Facebook summarise medical conditions wey dem treat from Nigerian group dis year.

Dem include pregnancy, miscarriage, conjunctivitis and diarrhoea.

E say although im medical team bin come fully prepared and dem dey able to provide care, e confam say na three pipo die among di Nigeria group and warn say dis figure fit don rise to 20.

‘Even youths like us, pipo just dey faint’

Ibrahim wey be 35-year-old, from Kano na anoda Nigerian pilgrim. E tell BBC say im see as more dan 10 pipo faint as dem dey observe di Hajj rites – pipo of all ages, no be just ederly pipo.

“Even youths like us, pipo just dey faint. Something dey about place wey you neva go before, on your way you fit lost. You go dey waka, and dem no understand your language.”

Ibrahim bin waka about 73 kilometres (45 miles) ova four days inside very hot sun, according to one tracking app e get on im fone, and e no find di experience funny at all.

Some pilgrims say Saudi authorities no manage accommodation and facilities well, as di tents dey overcrowded and e no get adequate cooling and sanitation facilities.

Pilgrims also dey forced to waka long distances for di serious heat, as some blame roadblocks and poor transportation management for delays.

Di Saudi Transport Authority however tok say dem arrange for more dan 27,000 buses to transport pilgrims.

Ibrahim see at least three pipo from im group of Nigerians collapse from heat exhaustion, and dem carry some away inside ambulance.

Saudi authorities say dem provide sufficient additional medical services for di Hajj.

Reports dey say many pilgrims no receive adequate medical attention.

According to a number of pilgrims, ambulances and first aid bin no dey readily available for those wey dey experience heat exhaustion or oda health issues.

Many kontris still dey count dia dead and di search continue for those wey dey try to trace missing family members.

However for Ibrahim, im recent experience no go stop am from visiting in di future. “I pray to die someday for Mecca, but no be now, in di next 50 years.”