Brought from Kaduna, found dead at dawn: New details emerge in death of woman at Minister Umahi’s residence

Exclusive findings by SaharaReporters reveal that Mary Habila, the woman found dead at Works Minister David Umahi’s residence in Ebonyi State, was discovered naked when her body was removed from the minister’s quarters — contradicting the official account that she was a physiotherapist on secondment duty.

The official story is unravelling — and the details emerging are deeply troubling.

SaharaReporters has exclusively revealed that Mary Habila, the woman found dead at the Uburu, Ebonyi State residence of Minister of Works David Umahi, was discovered without clothing when her body was removed from the premises — a detail that fundamentally challenges the minister’s public account of the circumstances surrounding her death.

Umahi had previously stated that Habila was a physiotherapist seconded to the Federal Ministry of Works from the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences. But police sources familiar with the investigation have disputed that account, telling SaharaReporters that Habila and a second woman, Mary Baski, travelled from Kaduna State to the minister’s residence on June 26, arriving to attend to the minister.

Habila was found unresponsive inside the residence the following morning.

The sources identified Jonathan Bawado — a police officer serving as Senator Umahi’s Personal Assistant and former Aide-de-Camp during his time as Ebonyi State Governor — as the person who brought both women to the residence and subsequently alerted medical personnel after Habila was discovered unresponsive.

Public concern has also centred on why university hospital staff were reportedly seconded to the residence of the Minister of Works — an institution with no obvious connection to medical services.

In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Francis Nwaze, Umahi described Habila’s death as “unfortunate,” saying he received the news with “profound shock and sadness.” The minister said emergency protocols were immediately activated and police notified, adding that he personally received Habila’s parents, offered condolences and recommended an autopsy to establish the cause of death.

According to the minister, the family initially declined the autopsy recommendation.

SaharaReporters said it independently verified the authenticity and context of exclusive photographs showing Habila’s condition when her body was removed from the minister’s residence.

Investigations are ongoing.