Habila: Police, Umahi Insist on Autopsy, Minister Says Deceased is Daughter to Him

• APM tells Tinubu to suspend ex-Ebonyi gov 

•NSP says Habila not on registered physiotherapists database

Chiemelie Ezeobi in Lagos, Chuks Okocha, Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja and Benjamin Nworie in Abakaliki

Ebonyi State Police Command said it was set to engage the services of a pathologist to conduct a post-mortem examination that would help determine the cause of the death of Miss Mary Habila at the residence of Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi.

The decision also tallied with Umahi’s, who insisted that an autopsy should be carried out, even against the decision of the deceased’s family.

According to a statement by the command’s spokesman, SP Joshua Ukandu, the late physiotherapist was on a medical team attached to Umahi.

According to Ukandu, “On 27th June 2026, Ebonyi State Police Command received a distress call from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Ohaozara Division, reporting a medical emergency involving Miss Mary Habila and requesting his presence at David Umahi Federal Teaching Hospital, Uburu.

“On arrival, the DPO was informed by hospital authorities that Miss Mary Habila had been brought in dead. He immediately briefed the Commissioner of Police, who directed that the matter be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for thorough investigation.”

The police said, “Preliminary findings indicate that the deceased and a colleague formed part of the medical team attached to the Honourable Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, and had accompanied him to his hometown in Uburu, where she died in a room within the compound of his residence.”

It added, “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 police spokesman stated that though the family of the deceased had claimed that they did not want any autopsy performed on their daughter, the command considered the examination necessary, given the sensitive nature of the case and the imperative of establishing the true cause of death.

Meanwhile, Umahi yesterday personally addressed the circumstances surrounding the death of Habila, describing her as a “daughter” and dismissing allegations linking him or his office to the incident.

Addressing journalists at a press conference in Abuja, Umahi said Habila, a nurse employed by the David Umahi Federal Teaching Hospital, Uburu, had lived with his family for about three years and had been battling an underlying medical condition for which he personally funded her treatment.

He stated, “The lady in question was like a daughter to me. She stayed with me for three years. She was a staff of the David Umahi Federal Teaching Hospital, Uburu. She was a nurse, not a physiotherapist, and her family and my family are like one.”

Umahi disclosed that Habila had been receiving treatment at Turkish Hospital, with the latest medical bill amounting to about N2.2 million, which he said was paid by him.

According to the minister, available evidence indicated that the deceased had spoken with her boyfriend shortly before her death, complaining of persistent nose bleeding.

“She called her boyfriend at the hour of her death and complained 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 tried calling back, she was no longer responding.”

He explained that Habila was later found dead after colleagues forced open the door to her room, which had been locked from the inside.

Umahi added that the bathroom tap was still running when the door was broken, suggesting she had intended to take a bath before the incident.

Rejecting claims of foul play, the minister said there was no evidence linking anyone to her death and condemned attempts to politicise what he described as a painful personal loss.

He stated, “It is very painful to me that the girl passed on. Everything has become politics in this country. People should be careful when they use the unfortunate death of a young girl to play politics.”

The minister also disclosed that he had requested the Inspector-General of Police to transfer the investigation to Abuja to guarantee transparency and public confidence in the process.

APM Tells Tinubu to Suspend Minister

Allied People’s Movement (APM) demanded that President Bola Tinubu should save the image of the country and the integrity of the Nigerian government by immediately suspending Umahi and ordering an open, independent, and transparent inquest into the circumstances surrounding the death of Habila.

In a statement by National Publicity Secretary of APM, Abubakar Yusuf, the party said, ‘’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.’’

He said APM’s demand came amid rising public apprehension and suspicion of foul play and desperation to conceal a crime particularly with conflicting claims and reports regarding Habila’s arrival to Umahi’s house, the circumstances of her death in the house, and alleged pressure on the family to bury her without autopsy.

The statement said, ‘’The APM, as the voice of Nigerians, seeks an independent inquest into the incident especially against the backdrop of reports in the media space that Mary was brought from Kaduna State to the minister’s residence in Ebonyi State by an aide of the minister alongside another young lady on June 26, 2026 and was found dead the following morning.

‘’Our party seeks an inquest that answers critical questions in the minds of Nigerians. Was Mary brought from Kaduna to Ebonyi by an aide of the minister as reported in the media?

“What exactly transpired inside the minister’s residence that led to Mary’s death? Why did the minister allegedly leave the residence shortly after medical personnel arrived as reported in section of the media? ‘’

NSP: Habila Not on Registered Physiotherapists Database

Nigeria Society of Physiotherapy (NSP) said the late Mary Habila did not appear on the database of registered physiotherapists in Nigeria after it checked through appropriate regulatory channels.

In an official statement on X, the association said the development highlighted the need for public officials, particularly those in high public office, to exercise due diligence before presenting or associating individuals with regulated professions.

NSP said information released to the public should be accurate and verifiable, stressing that professional identity is determined through established regulatory processes.

It stated, “The Nigeria Society of Physiotherapy (NSP) has consistently maintained that professional identity is not a matter of assumption or public perception; it is a matter of verifiable fact.

“Where questions arise, they should be resolved through the appropriate regulatory processes, not through speculation or unverified claims.”

The society expressed hope that the clarification would guide subsequent discussions and serve as a reminder that the integrity of regulated professions must be respected.