•Late Mary Habila and works minister David Umahi
The family of Mary Habila, the 26-year-old nurse who died at the country home of the Minister of Works, David Umahi, has asked an Ebonyi State court to withdraw the police investigation into her death. They have also refused to allow an autopsy on her body, reports The PUNCH.
Her father, Tanko Habila, made the request in an affidavit dated July 13 and filed before the High Court of Justice in Ebonyi State.
He said the family did not suspect foul play in her death.
“While I welcome steps being taken to unravel the cause of my daughter’s death, my family and I will not accept any autopsy,” the affidavit stated.
Habila worked at the David Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences before she was seconded to the Federal Ministry of Works in Abuja, where she served as a personal nurse to Umahi and his immediate staff for about three years.
She died on June 27, 2026, in Uburu, in the Ohaozara Local Government Area of the state, after travelling with the minister to his hometown.
Umahi had asked that an autopsy be carried out to determine the cause of her death, but the family said they would not consent to the procedure.
The family also asked medical and investigative authorities to leave her body and organs untouched.
Her father said he did not want the investigation to continue and asked that his daughter’s remains be handed over to him so the family could proceed with her burial.
“I also wish not to proceed further with the investigation and further request to have my daughter’s body released to me for burial,” the affidavit stated.
He added that the family would not honour any further police or court invitation on the matter, insisting they did not suspect foul play.
He said the decision was voluntary, made without pressure or inducement from anyone, and asked that her body be released without further delay.
“While reiterating our request for the Nigerian Police to release my daughter’s corpse for burial, I wish to state that I was never induced, coerced or influenced in any way with anything or by anybody to make these depositions, as everything deposed here reflects the sincere wishes of my family and I,” he said.
Despite the family’s position, the Ebonyi State Police Command said the investigation would continue.
The Command’s spokesperson, Joshua Ukandu, said detectives received a distress call on the day Habila died, reporting a medical emergency at the David Umahi Federal Teaching Hospital in Uburu.
Ukandu said Habila had already died before she got to the hospital, prompting the state Commissioner of Police to transfer the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department for a fuller inquiry.
Police said preliminary findings showed Habila and a colleague, identified as Anita Baaki, were both part of the minister’s medical team and had accompanied him to Uburu before her death.
“The examination remains necessary given the sensitive nature of the case and the imperative of establishing the true cause of death,” the command said.
Detectives have visited the scene and taken statements, and the command said it was arranging for a pathologist to conduct the post-mortem.
It added that it was waiting for the family or their representative to attend, describing their presence as essential to the process, and promised a transparent and impartial investigation with further updates as the case develops.
