Family says it does not suspect foul play and wants to proceed with burial
Mary Habila’s father has told authorities he is not accusing anyone in his daughter’s death and wants her body released for burial without an autopsy. Mary Habila, a 26-year-old nurse, died on June 27, 2026, while travelling with a Federal Ministry of Works medical team to Uburu, Ebonyi State.
Her father said he does not suspect foul play and does not want a post-mortem carried out, citing the family’s personal and cultural beliefs. He asked police to stop further investigation and hand over her body for burial. He also said no one pressured him into this position.
Habila worked at the David Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences before she was seconded to the Federal Ministry of Works. There, she served on the medical team attached to Works Minister David Umahi for about three years.
Minister and police disagree on next steps
Umahi has asked for a forensic autopsy before the body is released. He said this would ensure a transparent probe and clear up any speculation about what happened.
The Ebonyi State Police Command has taken a similar position. It said the investigation is still active and a post-mortem is needed to establish the cause of death scientifically. This puts the police and the minister on one side, and the grieving family on the other, over how to proceed.
It also mirrors the tension seen when Umahi addressed Habila’s final phone call before her death, which raised similar questions about transparency in the case.
As of now, Habila’s body has not been released, and no autopsy has taken place.
