Minister of Works David Umahi broke his silence on July 16, 2026, over the death of nurse Mary Habila at his Uburu, Ebonyi State residence on June 27. He said Habila complained of a nosebleed to her boyfriend by phone shortly before she was found unresponsive in a locked bathroom.
Minister of Works David Umahi has finally spoken about the death of Mary Habila. The nurse died inside a guest house at his residence in Uburu, Ebonyi State, on June 27, 2026. Her sudden death has stirred nationwide outrage and fresh calls for a transparent probe.
Umahi addressed journalists in Abuja on Thursday, July 16, 2026. He used the briefing to correct earlier reports and share his account of Habila’s final hours.
Umahi Says Habila Was Like a Daughter
Umahi described Habila as family, not just staff. He said she had lived and worked with him for three years.
“The lady in question was like a daughter to me. She had stayed with me for three years. She was a staff of the Federal Medical University. She was a nurse and not a physiotherapist,” Umahi said.
He also corrected earlier reports about her job. She was a nurse, he said, not a physiotherapist. She worked at the David Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences in Uburu.
Habila’s Last Phone Call With Her Boyfriend
Habila spoke to her boyfriend at the hour of her death. She told him she was bleeding from the nose, Umahi said. The boyfriend urged her to report it, but she said the bleeding had stopped.
He said he would end the call because the bleeding might get worse. Habila pleaded, “Don’t cut the call,” but he hung up.
Three minutes later, he called back, but she did not answer. Habila had earlier mentioned she wanted to take a bath. When people broke down the door the next morning, the tap was still running.
Umahi Denies Foul Play, Seeks Autopsy
Umahi said he does not suspect any foul play in Habila’s death. He also said he had earlier paid for her treatment at a hospital in Turkey.
The minister asked the police to review the phone records between Habila and her boyfriend. He said this would confirm the timeline of her last hours. Umahi also called for an autopsy, though he said the family had resisted the idea on cultural grounds.
