Body of Mary Habila Who Died at Minister Umahi’s Home Secretly Flown to Abuja for Autopsy Amid Controversy

The body of Mary Habila, the 26-year-old nurse who died under mysterious circumstances at the country home of Works Minister David Umahi in June, has been secretly flown to Abuja for a forensic autopsy, deepening public outrage over the handling of the case.

Habila, a staff member of the David Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences in Uburu, Ebonyi State, was on secondment to the Federal Ministry of Works in Mabushi, Abuja. She died on June 27, 2026, in a guest house located within Umahi’s residential compound in Umunaga, Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. Reports indicate she was found naked in the room.

The case did not come to public attention until July 11, nearly two weeks after her death, when Sahara Reporters first broke the story. The minister’s initial silence and the subsequent transfer of her body have fueled widespread suspicion that powerful forces are attempting to control the narrative.

Umahi has publicly denied any wrongdoing, describing Habila as “like a daughter” who had worked closely with him for about three years. He disclosed that she had battled health challenges and had been receiving treatment at a Turkish hospital, with medical expenses reportedly borne by him. He claimed her last medical bill in April cost him N2.2 million. According to Umahi, Habila spoke with her boyfriend shortly before she died and complained of a nosebleed. Her boyfriend later called back and she was not responding. When her door was forced open, she was found dead with the tap still running.

The minister’s lawyers have formally requested the Nigeria Police Force to conduct a comprehensive forensic autopsy to determine the actual cause of death. In a letter dated July 15, Umahi urged the police to engage qualified forensic pathologists and to withhold the release of Habila’s remains to anyone, including her next of kin, until the autopsy and all investigative procedures have been concluded. The minister has insisted there was no foul play, describing allegations against him as unfounded and politically motivated.

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However, the situation has been complicated by the actions of the deceased’s family. Initially, the family rejected a post-mortem examination on cultural grounds, obtaining a court affidavit opposing the procedure. But under mounting public pressure, the family later agreed to the autopsy on condition that the case be transferred to the Nigerian Police Force Headquarters in Abuja and that they be allowed to inspect the body before it is handed over to an independent pathologist. The body was subsequently moved to the Federal Capital Territory.

The controversy has drawn sharp reactions from across the country. The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and the National Association of University Students (NAUS) have backed calls for an autopsy and demanded an impartial investigation. The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) have called on President Bola Tinubu to suspend Umahi pending the outcome of investigations. The APM has demanded an open, independent, and transparent inquiry.

Northern youth groups have also issued a seven-day ultimatum for Umahi to resign. Meanwhile, a coalition of over 300 civil society organisations cancelled a planned protest after a fact-finding exercise found no basis to hold the minister responsible, noting that the deceased had underlying medical conditions and that Umahi had consistently called for an autopsy.

Despite Umahi’s insistence on an autopsy to clear his name, critics have questioned why it took nearly a month for the body to be moved to Abuja and why the minister, who claims she was like a daughter, did not immediately report the incident to authorities. The police have confirmed that detectives have visited the scene and obtained statements from relevant persons. The Ebonyi State Police Command has maintained that the examination is necessary, given the sensitive nature of the case.

The family, meanwhile, has announced that Habila’s funeral will be held at Deeper Life Bible Church in Nok, Jaba Local Government Area, Kaduna State. But with the autopsy now set to proceed in Abuja, her burial may be delayed further. The case has become a major test of the Tinubu administration’s commitment to transparency and justice. As one social media user put it: “An ordinary citizen would have been in police custody until his level of culpability or otherwise is determined.” For now, Nigerians are watching to see whether the autopsy will provide answers or simply raise more questions.

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