The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has confirmed that Mary Habila died at his residence in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, while renewing his call for an autopsy to determine the exact cause of her death.
In a statement issued on Saturday through his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Francis Nwaze, the minister described Habila’s death as tragic and said he received the news with deep shock and sadness.
Umahi disclosed that Habila was a physiotherapist from the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences (DUFUHS), Uburu, who had been seconded to the Federal Ministry of Works, where she had served for the past three years.
According to the minister, emergency medical procedures were immediately initiated after the incident. He said the Chief Medical Director of the university’s teaching hospital and other medical personnel were contacted without delay, while the Nigeria Police Force was also informed in line with legal procedures.
Umahi stated that after Habila’s death was confirmed, he met with her parents, expressed his condolences and advised the family to consent to an autopsy so the actual cause of death could be scientifically established. He, however, claimed that the family initially declined the request.
He has now reiterated that an autopsy remains the most credible and responsible means of resolving the questions surrounding the incident.
“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,” the statement said.
The minister also appealed to the public to avoid speculation and allow law enforcement agencies and medical experts to complete their investigations without interference.
The incident has continued to attract public attention following reports questioning the circumstances surrounding Habila’s death and the presence of university hospital staff at the minister’s private residence.
Earlier reports indicated that Habila died under unclear circumstances inside Umahi’s country home in Uburu on June 27, 2026, a day after she and another physiotherapist, Anita Baski, reportedly arrived at the residence.
The case is currently under police investigation after it was transferred from the Ohaozara Divisional Police Headquarters to the Ebonyi State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Abakaliki.
Investigators are working to determine the circumstances that led to Habila’s death after she was reportedly found unresponsive inside the residence. Medical personnel and police officers were subsequently alerted, while senior officials of the David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital were also notified.
The incident has sparked widespread calls for a transparent investigation, with many urging authorities to establish the facts surrounding Habila’s death through a thorough and independent inquiry.
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