UBURU, Ebonyi State | July 16, 2026
Fresh details have emerged regarding the death of Mary Habila, the 26-year-old staff member of the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, with a colleague reportedly stating that she was found lifeless inside a locked room at the private residence of the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, after spending the night there.
According to accounts made public on Thursday, Habila had spent the night in a guest house located within the minister’s residence in Uburu, Ebonyi State. Her colleague reportedly became concerned after repeated attempts to reach her the following morning proved unsuccessful.
The colleague said the room was locked from the inside, prompting those at the residence to force the door open. Habila was subsequently found unresponsive inside the room, and medical personnel were reportedly unable to revive her after arriving at the scene.
The circumstances surrounding her death have continued to generate widespread public attention and calls for a transparent investigation.
Minister Umahi, speaking publicly on the incident for the first time, stated that Habila had spoken with her boyfriend on the night before her death and reportedly complained of a nosebleed before communication with her suddenly stopped. He also said she had been receiving treatment for an undisclosed medical condition and maintained that there was no reason to presume foul play without forensic evidence.
The minister has called for a comprehensive forensic autopsy to determine the exact cause of death and appealed to the deceased’s family to allow the procedure to take place before burial. He also disclosed that he had requested the Inspector-General of Police to transfer the investigation to Abuja to ensure public confidence in the process.
The case has attracted growing national attention, with political leaders, civil society organisations and human rights groups demanding an independent and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Habila’s death.
As of the time of filing this report, no official autopsy findings had been released, and no authority has announced a confirmed cause of death. Investigations by the Nigeria Police remain ongoing.
