Minister of Works, David Umahi, has revealed fresh details about the death of 26-year-old Mary Habila, saying she had been battling an existing illness and complained of nose bleeding before she died at his residence in Uburu, Ebonyi State, on June 27.
Speaking during a press briefing on Thursday, Umahi said Habila was not his personal staff but a nurse employed by the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences in Ebonyi State.
He also dismissed reports describing her as a physiotherapist and said she had worked closely with him for about three years, describing her as a daughter to him and his family.
According to the minister, Habila had been receiving treatment for her health condition at a hospital in Turkey, with him covering the medical expenses. He added that before her death, she had spoken with her boyfriend and complained that she was bleeding from her nose.
Umahi said, “She was like a daughter to me and my family. She worked closely with us for about three years. She was a nurse employed by the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, not a physiotherapist. She had an existing health condition and was receiving treatment in a Turkish hospital, and I personally paid her medical bills.”
Her death has sparked nationwide outrage, with many Nigerians demanding an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death.
Meanwhile, Habila’s family has indefinitely postponed her burial after the Ebonyi State Police Command insisted on conducting an autopsy before releasing her body. The burial had been scheduled for Friday, July 17.
In a statement signed by Elisha Haruna on behalf of the family, the relatives said, “We wish to inform family, friends, and well-wishers that the burial ceremony of our beloved daughter, Mary Habila, has been postponed until further notice due to unforeseen circumstances.”
The family apologised for the change in plans, thanked Nigerians for their prayers and support, and said a new burial date would be announced later. The police have maintained that an autopsy is necessary to determine the actual cause of Habila’s death, which remains under investigation.
