The Minister of Works, David Umahi and the Ebonyi State Police Command have demanded an autopsy to unravel the circumstances that led to the death of a 26-year-old nurse, Mary Habila, whose corpse was reportedly found at the minister’s residence in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
Their demand followed the request by the deceased’s father, Tanko Habila, to the Ebonyi State High Court to withdraw the police investigation into his daughter’s death.
The father also refused to allow an autopsy on her body, insisting that the family did not suspect foul play in her death.
But the police, in a statement by the command’s spokesperson, Joshua Ukandu, on Wednesday, maintained that an autopsy remained necessary because of the sensitive nature of the case and the need to establish the true cause of death.
Ukandu said the police were awaiting the family of the deceased to proceed with the post-mortem examination as part of an ongoing investigation into her death.
He added that arrangements were underway to engage the services of a pathologist to conduct a post-mortem examination to determine the actual cause of death and aid the ongoing investigation.
Ukandu disclosed that the command was awaiting the attendance of the deceased’s family or their duly appointed representative, stressing that their presence is essential for the conduct of the post-mortem examination.
“The command has since commenced a comprehensive investigation. Detectives have visited the scene and obtained statements from relevant persons.
“The command is set to engage the services of a pathologist to conduct a post-mortem examination that will help determine the cause of death and support the ongoing inquiry.
“The family of the deceased has, however, claimed that they do not want any autopsy performed on their daughter.
“The command nonetheless considers the examination necessary, given the sensitive nature of the case and the imperative of establishing the true cause of death.
“The command, therefore, awaits the attendance of the family or their duly appointed representative, as their presence is essential to the conduct of the post-mortem examination,” the statement disclosed.
The police assured the public of a thorough, transparent, and impartial investigation and pledged to provide further updates as the investigation progresses.
Also, the minister appealed to the deceased’s family to permit an autopsy to establish the exact cause of death, saying he had directed that the body should not be released for burial until the procedure was conducted.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja to update the public on newly approved projects by President Bola Tinubu, the minister said the deceased was a nurse employed by the Federal University of Health Sciences, Ebonyi State, contrary to reports describing her as a physiotherapist.
Umahi said the deceased, whom he described as “like a daughter,” had worked closely with him for years and had a history of medical challenges for which he personally funded treatment.
He also revealed that his late aide complained of bleeding from her nose during a phone conversation with her boyfriend shortly before she was found dead, as he insisted there was no evidence of foul play in the incident.
Providing his first detailed account of the incident, Umahi said the deceased had been living and working with him for about three years and enjoyed a close relationship with his family.
He said, “My lawyers have spoken on my behalf. But one piece of information I want to correct is that the lady in question was like a daughter to me. She had stayed with me for three years.
“She was a staff member of the Federal Medical University. She was a nurse and not a physiotherapist. And her family and my family are like one family.”
The minister disclosed that the deceased had been receiving treatment at a Turkish hospital before her death, with medical bills allegedly paid by him.
According to him, “She has her medical records in Turkish Hospital, being paid by us. The last one was on the 5th of April, and it cost me N2.2m. The records are there. I paid N2.2 million.”
Umahi also narrated what he said were the deceased’s final moments before she was found dead, claiming she had complained of bleeding from the nose during a telephone conversation with her boyfriend shortly before communication stopped.
He said, “She spoke to her boyfriend at the hour of her death and complained that she was bleeding from the nose.
“The boyfriend said, ‘No, you have to report it.’ She said it had stopped. The boyfriend then said, ‘Listen, I will not continue this conversation since you are bleeding. It will increase the bleeding.’
Also Read: Mary Habila’s friend share final moments
“She told the boyfriend, ‘Don’t cut the call.’ The boyfriend cut the call. Three minutes later, the boyfriend called again. She was not responding.”
According to the minister, the deceased had earlier informed her boyfriend that she intended to take a bath before communication ceased.
“Even in the morning, she told her boyfriend she was going to bathe because she had locked her door. When they discovered something was wrong, they broke down the door and discovered her dead. The tap was still running,” Umahi said.
The minister stressed that the guest house where the deceased died was located far from his personal residence, arguing that it was unfair to hold him personally responsible simply because the incident occurred within facilities linked to the ministry.
“What baffles me in this country is that everything becomes an opportunity. There is a guest house where she and other medical personnel stayed, and that is very far from where I stay.
“Does it mean that because somebody dies in the Ministry of Works, the minister must be accountable for that?” he asked.
Umahi lamented what he described as attempts to exploit the young woman’s death for political purposes.
“People should be careful when they want to use the unfortunate death of a young girl to play politics. If we have a hand in the killing, it will follow our families and us. But if we don’t have hands in it and you are jumping into it, be careful. Life is spiritual,” he said.
The minister said the deceased had been one of his most dedicated staff members and that her death had left him devastated.
“It is very painful to me that the girl passed on. It is very difficult to replace her. She was one of my best workers,” he said.
Umahi disclosed that efforts by investigators to conduct an autopsy had so far been unsuccessful because the deceased’s family objected on cultural grounds.
He said, “We have been begging the parents to allow an autopsy to happen. They said it is against their culture. But we insisted through our lawyer that an autopsy should happen. I have directed that the corpse cannot be removed until an autopsy.”
The minister added that he had requested the Inspector-General of Police to transfer the investigation to Abuja to ensure a thorough probe and facilitate discussions with the family.
“We have reported to the Inspector-General of Police to transfer the case to Abuja. Let them beg the family to do an autopsy. I am also begging the family to meet with the Inspector-General so that he can convince them,” he said.
Umahi further claimed that the deceased had previously experienced similar episodes of nose bleeding while accompanying him on official assignments.
According to him, “The boyfriend also told us that when we were in Lagos, she called him and said she was bleeding from the nose.
“He advised her to report to me so I could send her back to the hospital, but she didn’t want to stress me. He then told her to find a hospital around and seek treatment. He urged investigators to retrieve the telephone records between the deceased and her boyfriend.
“I have asked the police to go to the call logs. They should go to the call log of the boy and the call log of the girl, and they will hear the last conversation the girl had with the boyfriend at the hour of her death,” he said.
While maintaining that the investigation should run its full course, Umahi said he had seen no evidence suggesting criminal activity.
“I suspect no foul play. Her room was still locked, and the door had to be broken before they discovered the body. The tap was still running because I think she was going to bathe,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Habila’s colleague and close friend, Anita Baaki, has recounted the deceased’s last moment with her.
In a sworn statement, Baaki, who is from Benue State, said she was among members of staff who travelled from Abuja to Ebonyi State on June 24, 2026, for official duties under Umahi.
According to her affidavit filed before the state High Court, the staff members were accommodated in separate but adjoining rooms in a staff chalet located within the minister’s country home in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area.
She clarified that the building was designated for staff members and associates, not for the minister’s personal residence. Government
On the evening of June 26, Habila returned after having her hair done and stopped by Baaki’s room to show her the new hairstyle. The two chatted and joked before Habila said she was tired and intended to take a shower before going to bed.
“Mary told me she was tired and wanted to take a shower before sleeping. That was the last time I saw her alive,” Baaki stated.
The following morning, Baaki became concerned when Habila did not come out as usual. Repeated phone calls went unanswered, prompting her to knock on Habila’s door. Finding it locked from the inside and receiving no response, she alerted a domestic staff member to search the premises.
When Habila could not be found elsewhere, other staff members were informed, and the room was forcibly opened. She was discovered lying unconscious on the floor near the door.
She was immediately taken to the David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital, where doctors confirmed that she was dead on arrival. Government.
In her affidavit, Baaki stated that her testimony was given voluntarily and without coercion, emphasizing that she was making the statement solely for official and investigative purposes.
Meanwhile, the Allied People’s Movement and the Committee for the Defense of Human Rights have called for the immediate suspension of the minister to allow for a credible, impartial and interference-free investigation into the death of Habila.
APM, in a statement on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Abubakar Yusuf, said Umahi’s continued stay in office and the Presidency’s silence over the incident had tarnished Nigeria’s image, accusing the All-Progressives Congress-led government of showing little regard for the lives of Nigerians, particularly women and youths.
The statement read, “The Allied People’s Movement demands that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu save the image of the nation and the integrity of the Nigerian government by immediately suspending the Minister of Works, Engr Dave Umahi and order an open, independent and transparent inquest into the circumstances surrounding the death of Mary Habila, a physiotherapist reportedly found dead at the minister’s residence in Ebonyi State.
“Our party holds that the continued stay of Engr Umahi in the federal cabinet and the silence of the Presidency despite the minister’s alleged connection with the gruesome incident cast a huge blight on the nation and further confirms the All-Progressives Congress, APC, administration as insensitive and one that has no iota of regard for the lives of Nigerians, especially women and youths.
“It also risks eroding public confidence in the Tinubu administration’s commitment to justice, accountability and the sanctity of human life.”
The opposition party maintained that Tinubu, as the nation’s leader, has a responsibility to assure Nigerians that no public official in his administration is above the law, irrespective of position or influence.
On its part, the Committee for the Defense of Human Rights, in a statement jointly signed by its National President, Yinka Folarin, and National Publicity Secretary, Adewunmi Adesina, expressed concern over the incident, saying it had become a matter of public interest requiring thorough investigation.
The group extended its condolences to Habila’s family, friends and colleagues, but maintained that the case had gone beyond a private family matter because it involved the administration of criminal justice and the state’s constitutional responsibility to protect the right to life.
CDHR argued that Umahi’s continued stay in office while investigations were ongoing could undermine public confidence in the integrity of the process.
“In the interest of preserving public confidence in the integrity of the investigation, CDHR calls on Prof David Umahi to immediately resign from office to enable an unfettered and independent investigation.
“Public office must never become a shield against criminal investigation or accountability,” the statement read.
The organization also demanded the arrest and prosecution of the minister and any other individual if investigations established criminal liability in connection with Habila’s death.
It further expressed concern over the deceased’s family’s rejection of a forensic autopsy, insisting that no private individual or family member has the legal authority to stop the investigation or prosecution of an alleged criminal offence.
Among its demands, CDHR called for a comprehensive and transparent criminal investigation free from political interference, an independent forensic autopsy, preservation of all physical and electronic evidence, adequate protection for witnesses, and the prosecution of anyone found culpable.
The organisation also challenged the Tinubu-led administration to demonstrate its commitment to the rule of law by ensuring that no individual is shielded from investigation because of political office or personal relationship.
It urged the National Human Rights Commission, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the International Commission of Jurists, diplomatic missions and other international organizations to closely monitor the case.
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