Miss Mary Habila, Like A Daughter To Me, Says Umahi

By Tarkaa David and Henry Tyohemba, Abuja

The Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, on Thursday, dismissed allegations linking him to the death of Miss Mary Habila, describing the deceased as “like a daughter” and insisting that there was no foul play in the incident.

But the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and the National Association of University Students (NAUS) have demanded an autopsy into the death of Habila, an employee of the David Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences (DUFUMS), Uburu, Ebonyi State.

Speaking during a press conference at the Ministry of Works in Abuja, Umahi said Habila, a nurse and employee of the Federal Medical University, had lived with his family for about three years and had been receiving medical treatment for an existing health condition at Turkish Hospital in Abuja.

He disclosed that Habila’s medical bills, including a recent treatment at Turkish Hospital, were paid by him, adding that medical records documenting her health challenges were available”

“The lady in question was like a daughter to me. She had stayed with me for three years. She was a member of the staff at the Federal Medical University. She was a nurse and not a physiotherapist. The family and my family are like one family,” Umahi said.

The Minister said investigations showed that shortly before her death, Habila had spoken with her boyfriend and complained of bleeding from the nose.

According to him, the boyfriend advised her to seek medical attention, but she reportedly declined, insisting she did not want to disturb her employer”

“She spoke to her boyfriend at the hour of her death, complaining that she was bleeding from the nose.

He advised her to report it, but she said she didn’t want to disturb me. Three minutes after he ended the call and called back, she was no longer responding,” he stated.

Umahi explained that Habila was found dead after colleagues forced open her locked room, adding that the bathroom tap was still running when the door was broken, suggesting she had intended to take a bath before the incident.

He condemned what he described as attempts to politicise the death, saying some individuals had circulated misleading information and photographs from the mortuary”

“It is very painful to me that the girl passed on. Everything has been turned into politics. People should be careful when they use the unfortunate death of a young girl to play politics,” he said.

The Minister disclosed that he had directed that the body should not be released for burial until an autopsy is conducted, despite resistance from the deceased’s family on cultural grounds”

“We have been begging the parents to allow an autopsy, but they say it is against their culture. I have directed that the corpse cannot be removed until an autopsy has been performed. I am appealing to the family to cooperate,” he said.

Umahi also revealed that he had requested the Inspector-General of Police to transfer the investigation to Abuja to ensure transparency.

He maintained that available evidence, including medical records and telephone call logs, did not suggest foul play”

“I suspect no foul play. The police can obtain the call logs of both the deceased and her boyfriend to establish the sequence of events. The medical records are there, and only the truth should prevail,” he said.

The Minister further warned against the spread of false information and cyberbullying, disclosing that his lawyers had been instructed to initiate legal action against those responsible for circulating what he described as defamatory reports”

“We are going to test the law on cyberbullying. People should not exploit an unfortunate incident to damage their reputation,” Umahi added. Earlier, the  Minister of Works had requested an autopsy on the late Miss Mary Habila before the release of her body for burial. The Minister requested his legal team, led by Roy O. Nwaeze SAN, following the death of Mary at his residence at Uburu, Ebonyi State. Miss Habila died on 27 June 2026 in a building within the Umahi residence at Umunaga, Uburu, in the Dhaozara Local Government Area, Ebonyi State.

According to the document, Miss Mary Habila is a staff member of the David Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences, Uburu, Ebonyi State, who was on secondment to the Federal Ministry of Works, Mabushi, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory.

According to the letter, the deceased did not reside in the same building as the Minister. The document explained further that the building where Habila died is exclusively designated for members of the Minister’s staff and other persons working with him. On the night of her death, the deceased and another lady, a physiotherapist, were the only occupants of the building”

“In view of the circumstances surrounding the death of the deceased, and in the interest of justice, transparency, and the due administration of criminal justice, our Client respectfully requests that the Nigeria Police Force cause a comprehensive autopsy to be conducted on the remains of the deceased by qualified forensic pathologists for scientifically and independently ascertaining the actual cause and circumstances of her death.”

It continued,” Our Client further requests that the remains of the deceased should not be released to any person, including her next of kin, Mr Tanko Habila Wisdom of Sabon Gari, Nok, Jaba Local Government Area, Kaduna State, until the autopsy has been duly conducted. All necessary investigative procedures relating thereto have been concluded.”

He explained that the request is made to preserve the integrity of the ongoing investigation, eliminate speculation, and ensure that the true cause of death is conclusively determined before the remains are interred.

Students Demand an Autopsy In Marhabila’s Death

In a press statement jointly signed by the Senate President of NANS, Ibeabuchi Moses Onyia, and the President of NAUS, Dr Meshach Nwankwo, the student leaders extended their heartfelt condolences on her passing”

“We sympathise with her bereaved family, the Honourable Minister of Works, and all those affected by this painful loss”

“We pray that Almighty God grants the family, the Honourable Minister, and everyone mourning her the strength and fortitude to bear this irreparable loss. May the gentle soul of Miss Mary Habila rest in perfect peace.”

“Going forward, while we share in the pain of the bereaved family and understand the public’s desire to uncover the truth behind the unfortunate demise of Miss Mary Habila, if there are circumstances that warrant further scrutiny, we believe it is only just and fair to maintain an objective and unbiased position,” the statement stated.

The students said that, according to the reports and documents available to them, the Minister of Works, Engineer David Umahi, has consistently maintained that the actual cause and circumstances of MisHabila’s death should be established and has formally requested the conduct of an autopsy to determine the cause of death, a request which, according to reports, the family of the deceased objected to”

“In addition, we use this medium to commend the Honourable Minister of Works for taking proactive steps to ensure that justice is served and for calling for an autopsy to ascertain the actual cause of Miss MarHabila’s death”

“Furthermore, from the eyewitness account contained in an affidavit sworn by Ms Anita Baaki, a colleague who was staying in the same staff quarters as the deceased, Miss Mary Habila was last seen alive after returning from having her hair done.”

“According to the affidavit, she informed her colleague that she was tired and intended to take a shower before going to bed”

“The following morning, after repeated attempts to reach her by phone failed, her colleague knocked on her door but received no response. A search was initiated, and when her door was forced open, Miss Habila was found lying on the floor. She was immediately rushed to the David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital, where she was confirmed dead on arrival,” the statement added.

The student bodies cautioned individuals and groups against exploiting the situation to advance their own sentiments”

“We enjoin the Honourable Minister of Works to remain steadfast in this course and continue to deliver quality road infrastructure for Nigerian.”