The Saudi Arabian authorities have introduced an electronic system of stoning the three devils at Muna after Arafat day.

This is to monitor the movement of pilgrims to ensure orderliness and check stampede in the 2019 pilgrimage.

The Representative of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Tanko Aliyu, disclosed this to journalists on Sunday at Muna when he led them on inspection of Nigerian pilgrims’ tent at Muna.

This is as another batch of pilgrims departed Minna, Niger State to Madinah aboard Max Air NGL3063 at 12:05 pm with 534 Niger Pilgrims, five officials and 11 others.

This increased the number of pilgrims airlifted to Saudi Arabia to 43,139 aboard 89 flights.

The monitoring is part of efforts by NAHCON to ensure hitch-free pilgrimage, as the pilgrims prepare to stone devil in Muna after Arafat day, August 10.

“The new idea is necessitated by the fact that previous stoning was not without some negative developments.

“Some pilgrims were known to have missed their bearing in the process of stoning the three devils among others,” he said.

He urged NAHCON officials and their counterparts in the states to swing into action by educating the pilgrims, on the need to adapt to the new system, adding that it was meant for their safety.

According to him, stoning devil is a crucial process leading to acceptable Hajj as well as being the climax of the pilgrimage.

NAHCON’s representative noted that controlling movement of pilgrims during the event cannot be overemphasised.

Aliyu promised the pilgrims that they would be conveyed in the buses to areas earmarked for the event, to ease their movement.

According to him, the pilgrims will be in groups, with a specific time to carry out stoning, to avoid a stampede.