A high-powered Nigerian government delegation has arrived in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, to receive the remains of legendary industrialist and philanthropist, Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata, ahead of his final burial rites in the sacred city of Islam.
Dantata, a towering figure in Nigerian business and humanitarian circles, passed away peacefully in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Saturday, June 29, 2025, at the venerable age of 94.
The federal delegation, led by the Minister of Defence and former Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Muhammad Badaru Abubakar, departed Nigeria on Sunday night and touched down in Madinah in the early hours of Monday, June 30. The announcement was made by Rabiu Ibrahim, Special Assistant to the Minister of Information and National Orientation.
Accompanying Badaru were other senior cabinet members, including the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris; and the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Honourable Yusuf Abdullahi Ata.
Also part of the solemn delegation were eminent Islamic scholars and religious figures, such as Dr. Bashir Aliyu Umar, Sheikh Aminu Ibrahim Daurawa, and Khalifa Abdullahi Muhammad, the Imam of the Dantata Mosque in Abuja.
Upon arrival, the delegation was warmly received by Ambassador Muazzam Ibrahim Nayaya, Nigeria’s Consul General in Jeddah, who is coordinating closely with Saudi officials to ensure seamless funeral arrangements in line with Islamic rites.
In a poignant fulfilment of his final wish, Dantata is to be buried in Medina—one of Islam’s holiest cities—next to his beloved wife, Hajiya Rabi’a Dantata, who passed away in 2023. The Saudi Arabian authorities officially approved the burial request, marking a deeply spiritual conclusion to the life of a man whose generosity and faith were as renowned as his business empire.
Mustapha Junaid, Dantata’s Principal Private Secretary, confirmed the development via social media:
> “I have received approval to take Aminu Alhassan Dantata from Abu Dhabi to Madinah. He will be buried tomorrow morning, by the grace of Allah.”
The Janazah (Islamic funeral prayer) was scheduled to be observed at the Masjid an-Nabawi—the Prophet’s Mosque—in Medina, a rare honour reserved for a few.
Initially, contingency plans were made to transport his body back to Kano, Nigeria, should approval for a Medina burial not come in time. However, with Saudi Arabia’s green light, the arrangements shifted to fulfil Dantata’s heartfelt desire to rest eternally in the Holy Land.
Alhaji Aminu Dantata was a patriarch not only of his family but of Nigerian commerce, known for his deep faith, vast philanthropic undertakings, and unwavering contributions to nation-building. His passing marks the end of a storied era and the beginning of a timeless legacy.
PIONEER NEWS 