Thousands of mourners on Friday converged on Bauchi to attend the funeral of renowned Islamic scholar, Sheikh Dahiru Usman-Bauchi, who died on Thursday at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH).
The Bauchi State Government had declared Friday a work-free day to enable residents to participate in the funeral rites of the revered scholar.
Followers, students and sympathisers from within and outside the state arrived in large numbers for the burial. Security agencies also deployed personnel to major locations to manage the crowd, ensure free flow of traffic and maintain public order.
Speaking on behalf of the family, Maulud Dahiru Bauchi said the funeral prayer would hold at 3 p.m. in line with the deceased’s written will. He added that the Grand Imam of Nigeria, Sheikh Sharif Saleh, would lead the prayer.
Maulud noted that dignitaries expected at the funeral included Vice President Kashim Shettima, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, state governors, traditional rulers and prominent religious leaders.
He said the massive turnout underscored the immense influence the late Sheikh Dahiru wielded in religious scholarship, moral instruction and community development across the region.
