BREAKING: Aminu Dantata’s Burial Postponed, Reason, New Date Emerge

The final journey of Nigerian business magnate and philanthropist Alhaji Aminu Dantata has been slightly delayed, following unforeseen procedural challenges in transporting his remains from the United Arab Emirates to Saudi Arabia. According to a NewsVista reporter, the highly anticipated burial, initially scheduled for Monday, June 30, will now take place on Tuesday, July 1, 2025.

Dantata, who passed away on Saturday, June 28, in Abu Dhabi, had expressed a deeply personal wish to be buried in the holy city of Medina — a request his family is determined to honour. However, logistical setbacks relating to international regulations have temporarily held up the process.

Speaking to BBC Hausa on Monday, Nigeria’s Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, confirmed that the delay was due to Saudi Arabia’s legal requirements for interring foreign nationals within its borders. He explained that the necessary documentation between the Saudi authorities and the late Dantata’s family was still being processed.

“There are regulations set by the Saudi government on how to bring a body for burial in the country, so now the paperwork is being filled out between the Saudi government and the family of the deceased,” Idris stated.

Despite the delay, Idris reassured that funeral arrangements are already in place and will proceed promptly once the remains arrive in Medina. The Nigerian embassy in Saudi Arabia and Dantata’s family have reportedly worked closely to ensure a smooth burial in line with his final wishes.

In the meantime, Medina has begun to receive a stream of high-profile Nigerian dignitaries who have traveled to the city to pay their last respects. Among them are the Minister of Defence, Alhaji Badaru Abubakar, as well as the governors of Kano and Jigawa states — Abba Kabir Yusuf and Umar Namadi, respectively. The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, and the 15th Emir, Aminu Ado Bayero, are also present in the city for the solemn occasion.

Back home, a Salatul Gaib — a funeral prayer in absentia — was observed by the Kano State Council of Ulama in honour of the revered elder statesman. Across Nigeria, expressions of mourning have poured in from both public officials and ordinary citizens, remembering Dantata as a pillar of generosity, business acumen, and national pride.

With the burial now rescheduled for Tuesday in Medina, the world prepares to bid farewell to a man whose life touched many — and whose legacy will continue to inspire generations to come.