I Spent N2.2m for Habila’s Strange Illness, Says Umahi

Mary Habila and David Umahi

I Spent N2.2m for Habila’s Strange Illness, Says Umahi

Minister of Works breaks silence on nurse’s death, describes her as “like a daughter,” insists on autopsy to determine cause

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has publicly addressed the controversy surrounding the death of Mary Habila, the nurse who died at his official residence in Uburu, Ebonyi State, on June 27, 2026. Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday, Umahi revealed that he personally spent over ₦2.2 million on her medical treatment and described the deceased as “like a daughter” to him. Umahi dismissed allegations linking him to the incident, describing attempts to politicise the young woman’s death as unfair and misleading. He maintained that he suspects no foul play in the circumstances surrounding her death.

According to the minister, Habila had lived with his family for about three years and worked as a nurse attached to the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, Ebonyi State. He clarified that she was a nurse, contrary to reports that described her as a physiotherapist. “The lady in question was like a daughter to me. She had stayed with me for three years. She was a staff member of the Federal Medical University. She was a nurse and not a physiotherapist. And her family and my family are like one family,” Umahi said. The Nigeria Society of Physiotherapy (NSP) later confirmed that Habila did not appear on the database of registered physiotherapists in Nigeria, supporting Umahi’s clarification that she was a nurse.

Umahi disclosed that Habila had been battling health challenges and was receiving treatment at a Turkish Hospital in Abuja, with all her medical expenses paid by him. He said her last hospital visit was on April 5, 2026, during which he personally paid about ₦2.2 million for her treatment. “She has her medical records in Turkish Hospital, being paid by us. The last one was on the 5th of April, and it cost me N2.2 million. The records are there. I paid N2.2 million,” he stated.

READ ALSO:

Providing details of the events leading to her death, Umahi said Habila had spoken with her boyfriend shortly before she died and complained of bleeding from her nose. “She spoke to her boyfriend at the hour of her death, complaining that she was bleeding from the nose. The boyfriend said, ‘No, you have to report it.’ She said it had stopped. The boyfriend then said, ‘Listen, I will not continue this conversation since you are bleeding. It will increase the bleeding,'” Umahi recounted. According to the minister, the boyfriend cut the call and called back about three minutes later, but she did not answer. The following morning, after repeated attempts to reach her failed, colleagues forced open her room and found her dead, with the bathroom tap still running. Umahi also recalled that during an earlier official trip to Lagos, Habila had suffered another episode of nosebleeding and informed her boyfriend, who advised her to seek immediate medical attention. She reportedly declined to report it to him because she did not want to cause him stress.

The minister stressed that the guest house where Habila died was separate from his personal residence and questioned why he should be held responsible simply because the facility belonged to the Ministry of Works. “The guest house where she stayed is nowhere near where I live. Does it mean that if someone dies in the Ministry of Works, the minister must automatically be held responsible?” he asked. The minister also defended another medical staff member mentioned in reports, explaining that he had worked with her since his days as governor before securing federal employment.

Umahi disclosed that investigators had been unable to conduct an autopsy because the deceased’s family had objected on cultural grounds. He, however, insisted that determining the exact cause of death through a post-mortem examination was essential. “We have been begging the parents to allow an autopsy to happen. They said it is against their culture. But we insisted through our lawyer that an autopsy should happen. I have directed that the corpse cannot be removed until an autopsy,” he stated. The Ebonyi State Police Command has similarly insisted on an autopsy, describing it as necessary given the sensitive nature of the case and the imperative of establishing the true cause of death.

Habila’s father, Tanko Habila, has formally rejected the autopsy request in an affidavit filed before the High Court of Justice, Ebonyi State. The family said it does not suspect foul play and wants the body released for burial without further medical procedures. “We don’t keep the body of a young child for this long. All I want is the corpse of my daughter so that we can bury her,” Tanko Habila said. The family’s lawyer, Kaile Yusuf, said the family had fulfilled all police requirements for the release of Habila’s remains but had yet to receive the body nearly three weeks after her death.

Umahi said he had requested the Inspector-General of Police to transfer the investigation to Abuja to ensure a thorough inquiry and facilitate discussions with the deceased’s family. He also urged investigators to obtain and analyse the call records of the deceased and her boyfriend. The minister described the loss as deeply painful, saying Habila was one of his most dedicated staff members and would be difficult to replace. He urged Nigerians to refrain from spreading misinformation and allow the police investigation to run its course.