Nigeria’s Minister of Works, David Umahi, has confirmed that Mary Habila died at his residence in Uburu, Ebonyi State.
He also stated that she was a physiotherapist seconded to the Federal Ministry of Works from the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences and renewed his call for an autopsy to determine the cause of her death.
The confirmation follows Saharareporters’ exclusive report stating that the circumstances surrounding Habila’s death were shrouded in secrecy.
There have been also public concerns about how staff of the University hospital were seconded to the residence of the Minister of Works for no official reasons.
In a statement issued on Saturday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Francis Nwaze, Umahi described Habila’s death as “unfortunate” and said he received the news with profound shock and sadness.
According to the statement, the minister said emergency measures were immediately activated after the incident, with medical personnel, including the Chief Medical Director of the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences (DUFUHS), Uburu, contacted without delay.
He added that the Nigerian police was also promptly notified in line with legal procedures.
The minister claimed that after Habila’s death was confirmed, he personally received her parents, offered his condolences, and advised the family to consent to an autopsy to scientifically establish the cause of death.
However, the minister claimed that the family initially declined the recommendation.
“It is important to clarify that Miss Mary Habila and Miss Anita Baski are employees of the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, Uburu, who had been on secondment to the Federal Ministry of Works as physiotherapists for the past three years until the unfortunate passing of Miss Habila,” Umahi said.
Amid renewed public attention over the incident, the minister said he has reiterated his position that an autopsy should now be conducted, maintaining that it remains the most credible means of determining the cause of Habila’s death and addressing the questions that have continued to trail the incident.
“The Honourable Minister has again reiterated his position that an autopsy must be conducted. He remains convinced that this is the most credible and responsible path to resolving all questions surrounding the unfortunate incident,” he added.
Umahi also appealed to members of the public to avoid speculation and allow law enforcement authorities and medical experts to carry out their investigations without interference.
The death of Mary Habila has generated public interest following reports questioning the circumstances under which she died while in Uburu, Ebonyi State, prompting calls for a transparent investigation.
SaharaReporters previously reported that Habbila died under mysterious circumstances inside the country home of Nigeria’s Umahi in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
SaharaReporters’ investigation revealed that the incident had been shrouded in secrecy, with both the Ebonyi State Government and the state police command maintaining silence over the matter.
Multiple police sources told SaharaReporters that the incident occurred on June 27, 2026, barely a day after Habbila and another woman, Anita Baski, both from Kaduna State, were reportedly brought to the minister’s residence.
SaharaReporters learnt that the death had since triggered a police investigation, with the case transferred from the Ohaozara Divisional Police Headquarters to the Ebonyi State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Abakaliki.
According to police sources familiar with the investigation, Habbila and Baski arrived at the minister’s residence on June 26. The sources alleged that the two women had been brought from Kaduna State to attend to the minister.
Habbila was, however, found dead inside the residence the following morning under circumstances investigators are still trying to establish.
Police sources said Jonathan Bawado, a police officer who serves as Senator Umahi’s Personal Assistant and previously worked as his Aide-de-Camp (ADC) during Umahi’s tenure as Governor of Ebonyi State, alerted medical personnel after Habbila was discovered unresponsive.
According to the sources, a doctor and an ambulance were subsequently dispatched to the residence, while the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ohaozara Police Division, CSP Tobechukwu Godwin, was notified of the incident.
SaharaReporters further learnt that Professor Chihurumnanya Alo, Consultant Public Health Physician, Infectious Diseases Specialist and Chief Medical Director of the David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital (DUFUTH), Uburu, was also alerted about the incident.Â
