* He was a devout Muslim who lived a life of service and humility: Council of Ulamas Imam
Funeral prayer in absentia (Salatul Ga’ib) was held on Saturday in Kano for the late business mogul, Alhaji Aminu Dantata, who died on Friday in Dubai at the age of 94.
The prayer, held at the Umar Bin Khattab Mosque in the Kano metropolis, was led by Sheikh Ibrahim Khalil, Chairman of the Kano State Council of Ulamas.
Funeral prayer in absentia (Salatul Ga’ib) was held on Saturday in Kano for the late business mogul, Alhaji Aminu #Dantata, who died on Friday in Dubai, aged 94.
The prayer, held at the Umar Bin Khattab #Mosque in the Kano metropolis, was led by Sheikh Ibrahim Khalil. #Ganduje pic.twitter.com/YUQNFiyWOg
— Muslim News Nigeria (@muslimnews_NG) June 29, 2025
Thousands of sympathisers, including prominent personalities such as the Deputy President of the Senate, Sen. Barau Jibrin, attended the prayer to honour the memory of the deceased.
Speaking after the prayers, Khalil said Salatul Ga’ib is observed for Muslims who die outside their home country or in places where funeral rites cannot be performed.
He described the late Dantata as a devout Muslim, philanthropist, and community leader who lived a life of service and humility.
Dantata was a leading figure in Nigeria’s private sector, expanding his family’s legacy into a conglomerate with interests in construction, manufacturing, finance, agriculture, and oil and gas.
He was also renowned for his philanthropic works, having funded schools, hospitals, mosques, and welfare centres across Northern Nigeria through his foundation and personal initiatives.
Burial to hold in Kano if Saudi’s arrangement delayed: Personal Assistant
Muslim News gathered that the family of the late industrialist revealed that Alhaji Dantata will be buried in Madinah next to his wife, Rabi’a, who died in 2023, in accordance with his final wishes.
The move, we learnt, has been stalled by bureaucratic bottlenecks from Saudi authorities.
Speaking to journalists, his personal secretary, Mustapha Abdullahi Junaidu, said that Saturday, being a work-free day in Saudi Arabia, had complicated the process of completing the required documentation and approval for the burial.
“He has always expressed a desire to be buried in Madina during his lifetime and we are working diligently to ensure his wishes are met,” Junaidu explained. “But the authorities in Saudi Arabia do not work during the weekends, so we are finding it difficult to conclude the necessary paperworks. The Federal Government is also assisting us in our efforts, so hopefully, we will get things done soon.”
Junaidu told Leadership Newspaper on Saturday evening that if the delay persisted beyond the weekend, the family would have no choice than to bring his remains to Kano so that he could be laid to rest without further postponement.
“We are exploring all avenues to ensure his final wishes are respected,” he said. “But if it becomes clear that the process will take longer, we will have no choice but to bring him back to Kano for burial.”
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