The Ondo state government on Tuesday confirmed the death of three pilgrims from the state on hajj in Saudi Arabia with seven others declared missing.

The state Commissioner for Information, Mr Kayode Akinmade, in a statement in Akure said the state government had communicated with the Saudi Arabian authority who confirmed their death.

More than 700 pilgrims died last Thursday in a deadly stampede during hajj.

The Ondo state commissioner noted that "the state government is sad with the ugly development because many other Nigerians across the country also lost their lives in the sad occurrence."

He said 312 people from the state went for the 2015 hajj exercise.