The investigation into the death of Mary Habila, a nurse attached to the Office of the Minister of Works, David Umahi, has taken a fresh turn after legal advice from the Ebonyi State Ministry of Justice recommended a post-mortem examination to establish the cause of her death.
The development comes as Habila’s family intensified efforts to recover her remains for burial, while police widened their investigation by inviting individuals considered relevant to the case for questioning.
Habila, a staff member of the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, Uburu, died on June 27, 2026, at a private residence linked to the minister. Her death has remained the subject of public scrutiny since police began investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
In a legal opinion dated July 15, 2026, and signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, J.U. Chukwu, the Ministry of Justice stated that available evidence showed Habila had no known health condition before her death.
“There was no evidence that the deceased was sick or unstable health-wise prior to her sudden death, as she was full of life at the time she returned to Uburu in the company of her team,” the legal advice stated.
According to the document, Habila was found alone in her apartment, unclothed, with bloodstains around her nose and mouth, making it necessary to determine the immediate and underlying cause of death through a post-mortem examination.
“What exactly caused the deceased’s sudden death? This curiosity under the law can only be resolved through a post-mortem examination,” the advice added.
The ministry, however, said police retained the discretion to either respect the family’s wishes or proceed with the autopsy.
Meanwhile, Habila’s family has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, accusing the Ebonyi State Police Command of unlawfully withholding her remains weeks after her death.
In the petition filed through their lawyer, K.A. Yusuf, the family urged the police chief to order the immediate release of the body and investigate officers responsible for its continued detention.
The family argued that keeping the corpse had denied them the opportunity to carry out traditional and religious burial rites while causing emotional and psychological distress.
Speaking after submitting the petition, Habila’s father, Wisdom, reiterated that the family’s only request was to bury their daughter.
“All that I want is the body of my daughter. We don’t keep the body of a little child for this long just like this.”
He also maintained the family’s opposition to an autopsy.
“I don’t want the autopsy. That is why I am demanding the release of the corpse of my daughter to go and bury her now.”
Despite opposing the post-mortem, he said the family was not accusing anyone of causing Habila’s death.
Police sources confirmed that investigators had begun interviewing individuals connected to the case, although details of their statements were not disclosed.
“They have been invited by the police to make statements… We invited all of them, and they have all made their statements,” a senior police source said.
The minister’s media aide, Nwaeze Francis, said he had no knowledge of any police invitation issued to Umahi.
Earlier, the minister denied any wrongdoing, describing attempts to link him to the incident as “politics taken too far.”
Umahi said Habila had worked closely with him for several years, describing her as a daughter. He also disclosed that she had a history of medical challenges and had complained of bleeding from her nose during a phone conversation with her boyfriend shortly before she was found dead.
The deceased’s lawyer also dismissed reports describing Habila as a physiotherapist, insisting she was a qualified nurse employed by the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences before being seconded to the minister’s office about three years ago.
A colleague, Anita Baaki, confirmed that Habila worked as a nurse while she served as the physiotherapist.
The case has also generated political reactions, with former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar calling on President Bola Tinubu to suspend Umahi pending an independent investigation.
However, a faction of Ohanaeze Ndigbo opposed the demand, describing calls for the minister’s resignation as premature and urging authorities to allow the investigation to proceed without political interference.
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