The remains of the late Emir of Zazzau, Alhaj Shehu Idris, has been laid to rest at his palace in Zaria, Kaduna State beside some past emirs of the Emirate.
The funeral prayers was led by the Chief Imam of Zazzau Emirate, Alhaji Dalhatu Kasimu, in the palace at about 5:35pm, attended by thousands of people.
Among those in attendance were Kaduna State Governor, Nasiru El-Rufa’i; Secretary to the State Government, Balarabe Lawal-Abbas; Speaker of the State Assembly, Yusuf Zailani; and other top government functionaries.
The Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, led the Federal Government delegation, which consisted of the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika; Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed; and Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu.
Also at the palace was the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, and heads of military and paramilitary formations in Kaduna state.
The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that the Waziri of Zazzau, Malam Ibrahim Muhammad, confirmed the death of Alhaji Shehu Idris, the 18th Emir of Zazzau and the Chairman, Kaduna State Council of Chiefs, to NAN in Zaria.
The Emir died at the 44 Army Reference Hospital, Kaduna in the early hours of Sunday at the age of 84.
Idris was coronated the Emir of Zazzau on February 15, 1975 and has ruled Zazzau Emirate for 45 years before his death.
NAN observed that the death of the Emir of Zazzau has thrown the entire people of the Emirate into tears and mourning.
The corpse of the late paramount ruler arrived the palace from Kaduna at about 2.45pm.
The palace was filled to capacity by friends, relatives and well wishers, who waited patiently to pay their last respect to the late Emir.
Those presented bursted into tears when the corpse arrived the palace.
Idris ascended the throne on February 8, 1975 following the demise of Alhaji Muhammadu Aminu, the 17th Emir of Zazzau.
In 1958, he was a teacher at a school in Hunkuyi and then taught at a few other schools in Zaria.
Thereafter, he left the teaching profession.
In the 1960s, he was a Private Secretary to Sarkin Zazzau, Muhammadu Aminu, and was also appointed as the Secretary to Zaria Native Authority council in 1965.
In 1973, he was bestowed the title of Dan Madamin Zaria and appointed the District Head of Zaria and Kewaye.
Idris succeeded Sarki Aminu in 1975.
On January 10, 2015, he celebrated his 40 years coronation anniversary, and marked his 45th anniversary on February 8, 2020.