Shehu Idris was a Nigerian teacher who served as the 18th Emir of Zazzau, a Nigerian traditional state headquartered in Zaria. He also served as chairman of Zazzau Emirate Council and Kaduna State Council of Chiefs. A member of the Fula people, he ascended the throne on 8 February 1975 following the demise of Alhaji Muhammadu Aminu, his predecessor. Idris was the longest reigning monarch in the history of the Zazzau emirate, having reigned for 45 years from 1975 to 2020. He was succeeded by Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli as the 19th Emir of Zazzau.

Zaria is a metropolitan city in Nigeria which lies within four local government areas in Kaduna State; it is the capital city to the Zazzau Emirate Council, and one of the original seven Hausa city-states and a major city in the state. The local government areas that made up of the city of Zaria includes: Zaria Local Government, Sabon Gari Local Government, Giwa Local Government and Soba Local Government areas in Kaduna state, Nigeria.