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Minister of Works David Umahi has publicly addressed the death of Mary Habila, describing the late nurse as “like a daughter” and denying any suggestion of foul play. Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Umahi said Habila had lived and worked with him for about three years and was a nurse attached to the Federal University of Health Sciences, Ebonyi State, not a physiotherapist as earlier reported. He dismissed allegations linking him to her death as “politics taken too far” and maintained that there was no evidence of criminal involvement.
Umahi disclosed that Habila had a history of medical challenges and said he personally paid for her treatment, including a ₦2.2 million hospital bill at a Turkish hospital in April 2026. According to him, she spoke with her boyfriend shortly before her death and complained of bleeding from her nose. He said communication later stopped, and when colleagues became concerned the following morning, they forced open her locked room and found her dead with the bathroom tap still running. The minister appealed to the public not to speculate while investigations continue and insisted that the circumstances surrounding her death should be established through medical evidence.
The minister also renewed his call for an autopsy, revealing that he had directed that Habila’s body should not be released for burial until the procedure is carried out. However, her family has opposed an autopsy on cultural grounds and has asked that her remains be released for burial. Umahi said he had requested that the investigation be handled by the Force Headquarters to ensure transparency and urged Nigerians to allow law enforcement agencies to complete their work before drawing conclusions.
