Aminu Dantata’s burial postponed

The Federal Government has confirmed the postponement of the burial of Nigerian billionaire businessman and philanthropist, Aminu Dantata, who died on Saturday in the United Arab Emirates.

Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this in an interview with the BBC on Monday, explaining that the delay is due to incomplete documentation required for the late industrialist’s remains to be buried in Saudi Arabia.

According to the minister, Dantata’s body was originally scheduled to arrive in Madinah for burial, but certain procedures set by the Saudi government must first be completed.

“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 said.

He assured that once the necessary documentation is finalised, the body will be flown from the UAE to Saudi Arabia for burial.

Idris added that all other funeral arrangements have been concluded by both the family and the Nigerian embassy in Saudi Arabia, and the burial will take place once the remains arrive.

Dantata, aged 93, was one of Nigeria’s most prominent business figures and a respected philanthropist.