Pressure mounts on Minister Umahi to step aside as Mary Habila probe deepens

The death of 26-year-old physiotherapist Mary Habila at Minister David Umahi’s Ebonyi residence has exploded into a full-blown national controversy, with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar demanding Umahi step aside, lawyers insisting the family cannot legally block an autopsy, and pressure mounting on the Inspector-General of Police to transfer the investigation to Force Headquarters.

Nearly three weeks after Mary Habila was found dead on the floor of a room in Minister David Umahi’s Ebonyi country home, Nigeria wants answers — and the pressure is becoming impossible to ignore.

Daily Trust reports that the 26-year-old physiotherapist, described by her father as Umahi’s personal nurse, died on June 27 in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area, Ebonyi State. Her death only surfaced publicly on July 11 when SaharaReporters broke the story. The details that have since emerged are deeply troubling: she was found alone, lifeless, naked, with blood stains around her nose and mouth — with no prior indication of illness.

Now the case has fractured into multiple simultaneous battles.

Atiku Abubakar, in a personally signed statement Thursday, demanded President Tinubu direct Umahi to step aside as Minister of Works pending investigation. “This is not a punishment; it is the minimum standard of public accountability in any serious democracy,” Atiku said. “No official under this cloud should preside over a federal ministry as though it were business as usual.” He also urged the Inspector-General of Police to transfer the probe from Ebonyi State Command to Force Headquarters with independent forensic experts involved.

Meanwhile, Habila’s father Tanko Habila has gone to the Ebonyi State High Court seeking to halt the autopsy and discontinue the investigation entirely, declaring in a sworn affidavit that his family “will not accept any autopsy” and does not suspect foul play. He added he would not honour future police or court invitations.

Legal practitioner Hameed Jimoh dismissed the family’s legal standing to block proceedings. “Criminal investigation in cases of alleged murder or suspicious death is the sole responsibility of the police,” he said. “The family has no legal capacity to stop either the investigation or an autopsy where it is considered necessary.”

The Ebonyi State DPP J.U. Chukwu had earlier advised that only a post-mortem examination could resolve “what exactly caused the deceased’s sudden death.” Habila’s burial, scheduled for Thursday, has been postponed indefinitely.