Mary Habila’s family says she has been wrongly branded a “runs girl” and wants her body released without an autopsy
The family of Mary Habila, the 26-year-old nurse who died at the residence of Minister of Works David Umahi in Ebonyi State, has appealed to Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu to order the immediate release of her body for burial.
Addressing journalists at the Force Headquarters in Abuja on Friday, the family’s lawyer, Kaile Adamu Yusuf, said all procedures required by the police to retrieve the body have been fulfilled.
Habila, an employee of the David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital, died on 27 June while attached to the minister’s medical team at his country home in Uburu, Ohaozara local government area of Ebonyi State.
The matter is currently before the Ebonyi State High Court, where the family has separately sought to stop the police investigation, and remains sub judice.
Why the family opposes an autopsy
Yusuf said the body had remained in official custody for nearly three weeks despite the family meeting all requirements for its release.
“It is regrettable that, having followed all necessary procedures by the family as required by the Nigerian Police to retrieve the body to give her a befitting burial, having stayed long in that process. Unfortunately, her body is yet to be released to the family, which is unfortunate,” he said.
The lawyer said the briefing was also intended to correct what he described as misinformation about Habila’s identity and profession, clarifying that she was a trained nurse, not a physiotherapist, and had worked at the David Umahi University of Health Sciences before being deployed to the minister’s office as a civil servant for about three years.
He alleged that some individuals were attempting to politicise the circumstances of her death, and said the family had petitioned the IGP against the Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police over the continued withholding of the body.
Yusuf said the family had consistently rejected requests for an autopsy on personal, cultural and traditional grounds.
“We are here to also ascertain the fact that the Minister has requested time without number for the autopsy of late Mary Habila, but the family has resolved and are determined and standing their ground not to allow it because of some personal, cultural and traditional reasons,” he said, adding that Habila “has never been a runs girl or whatever.”
Umahi and police maintain autopsy is necessary
Habila’s father, Tanko Habila, made an emotional appeal for his daughter’s remains.
“I don’t have much to talk in this case; all I want is the corpse of my daughter,” he said. “We don’t keep corpse of little children for so long like this.”
He said the family was not accusing anyone over her death and had maintained a cordial relationship with her workplace.
Umahi has denied any wrongdoing, saying he suspects no foul play.
“Her room was still locked, and the door had to be broken before they discovered the body. The tap was still running because I think she was going to bathe,” he said, adding that he had asked the IGP to transfer the investigation to Abuja.
The Ebonyi State Police Command has maintained that an autopsy remains necessary given the sensitive nature of the case, and said it is awaiting the family’s cooperation to proceed. Habila’s colleague, Anita Baaki, described her death as shocking and confirmed she herself, not Habila, was the physiotherapist among the visiting staff.
