Nigeria’s Works Minister, David Umahi, has strongly denied any involvement in the death of a young female aide at his residence, describing allegations linking him to the tragedy as “politics taken too far”.
The body of Mary Habila, whom Mr. Umahi described as being “like a daughter” to him, was discovered in a locked room with the tap still running at his guest house in Uburu, Ebonyi State.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, the minister dismissed social media speculation of foul play, stating that the deceased had a well-documented history of medical challenges, including severe nosebleeds, for which he had personally funded expensive private treatment.
‘Bleeding from the nose’
Mr. Umahi, a former governor of Ebonyi State, detailed the young woman’s final moments, citing phone records and conversations she had with her boyfriend just before she died.
“She spoke to her boyfriend at the hour of her death and complained that she was bleeding from the nose,” Mr. Umahi said.
According to the minister, the boyfriend cut the call but tried calling back three minutes later, by which point there was no response.
The minister explained that Ms Habila—who he clarified was a registered nurse and not a physiotherapist as previously reported—had locked herself in her room to take a bath. When staff realised something was wrong, they broke down the door to find her dead.
Autopsy dispute
Investigating authorities consider an autopsy vital to establishing the exact cause of death, but the procedure has been delayed due to resistance from the deceased’s family.
- Cultural objections: The victim’s family has reportedly declined to consent to the post-mortem, citing cultural beliefs.
- Burial blocked: Mr. Umahi confirmed he has instructed lawyers that the body must not be released for burial until an autopsy is completed.
- Police transfer: The minister has requested the Inspector-General of Police to transfer the case file to the federal capital, Abuja, to ensure an independent and thorough investigation.
‘Cheap politics’
The minister expressed deep anger over what he termed the exploitation of a family tragedy for political mileage, pointing out that the guest house where she died was located far from his personal quarters.
“What baffles me in this country is that everything becomes an opportunity,” Mr. Umahi said. “Does it mean that because somebody dies in the Ministry of Works, the minister must be accountable for that?”
He added that he had instructed his legal team to initiate lawsuits against media outlets and individuals engaging in “cyberbullying” and spreading false narratives regarding the incident.
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