A woman who died at the residence of Nigeria’s Minister of Works, David Umahi, has been identified as Mary Habila, a physiotherapist, whose death has continued to spark public concern and calls for a transparent investigation.
According to a published report yesterday, Habila’s body was found without clothing when it was removed from the minister’s residence in Uburu, Ebonyi State, on June 27, 2026.
The Minister confirmed that Habila died at his residence, describing the incident as “unfortunate”. In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Francis Nwaze, Umahi said Habila was a physiotherapist seconded to his residence from the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences (DUFUHS).
According to the Minister, emergency medical personnel, including the university’s Chief Medical Director, were immediately contacted after Habila was found unresponsive. He also said the police were promptly notified, and that he personally met with Habila’s parents, expressing condolences and recommending an autopsy to determine the cause of death. He stated that the family initially declined the request.
However, police sources familiar with the investigation have disputed parts of the Minister’s account. According to the sources, Habila and another woman, Mary (Anita) Baski, travelled from Kaduna State, and arrived at the minister’s residence on June 26. Investigators alleged that the women had been brought to attend to the minister.
Police sources further alleged that a police officer serving as Umahi’s Personal Assistant and former Aide-de-Camp during his tenure as Ebonyi State governor, Jonathan Bawado, was responsible for bringing the two women to the residence. They also claimed that Bawado was the person who alerted medical personnel after Habila was discovered unresponsive.
Investigators said Habila was found dead the following morning under circumstances that remain unclear. The case has since been transferred from the Ohaozara Divisional Police Headquarters to the Ebonyi State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Abakaliki for further investigation.
Authorities are yet to publicly disclose the cause of death, while calls continue to mount for an independent and transparent investigation into the incident.
