The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has formally requested the Ebonyi State Police Command to conduct a comprehensive autopsy on the late Mary Habila before releasing her remains to her family.
The request was contained in a letter dated July 15, 2026, written by Umahi’s legal representatives, Roy & Associates, and addressed to the Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State Police Command, Abakaliki.
According to the letter, the minister asked the police to ensure that a qualified team of forensic pathologists independently determines the actual cause and circumstances surrounding Habila’s death.
The letter stated that Mary Habila, a staff member of the David Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences, Uburu, who was on secondment to the Federal Ministry of Works, died on June 27, 2026, in a building located within Umahi’s residence in Umunaga, Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
The lawyers clarified that the deceased did not live in the same building as the minister, explaining that the facility was designated for members of Umahi’s staff and other persons working with him.
They further noted that on the night of her death, Habila and another woman, identified as a physiotherapist, were the only occupants of the building.
The legal team argued that, in the interest of justice, transparency and the proper administration of criminal justice, a detailed forensic autopsy should be conducted before the remains are released for burial.
The letter also urged the police not to release Habila’s body to any individual, including her next of kin, Mr. Tanko Habila Wisdom of Jaba Local Government Area, Kaduna State, until the autopsy and all related investigative procedures have been completed.
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