Saudi Arabian authorities have granted approval for the transportation and burial of the late elder statesman and iconic Nigerian businessman, Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata, in the holy city of Madina.
The confirmation was made by his Principal Private Secretary, Alhaji Mustapha Abdullahi Junaidu, in a statement shared via his verified Facebook page on Sunday.
According to Junaidu, Dantata’s remains will be flown from Abu Dhabi to Madina, where the final Islamic rites will be performed. He disclosed that the Janazah (funeral prayer) is scheduled to take place on Monday morning.
“Praise be to God, praise be to God, praise be to God. Approval has been obtained to transport Aminu Alhassan Dantata from Abu Dhabi to Madina. The funeral prayer will be held tomorrow (Monday) morning, God willing,” Junaidu wrote.
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He attributed the delay in the burial process to the weekend, which, he said, slowed down the necessary approvals and documentation required for international burial arrangements in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Back home in Nigeria, a special funeral prayer in absentia, known as Salatul Ga’ib, was held in Kano on Saturday in honour of the deceased. The prayer session was led by the Chairman of the Kano Council of Ulama, Sheikh Ibrahim Khalil, and was attended by prominent Islamic scholars, government officials, and members of the public.
Dantata’s decision to be buried in Madina, one of Islam’s holiest cities, is considered a rare honour and reflects his lifelong devotion to the faith.