The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has denied any foul play in the death of his aide, Miss Mary Habila, describing attempts to link him to the incident as “politics taken too far.”
Speaking during a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, Umahi said Habila, who died at a government guest house in Uburu, Ebonyi State, had been like a daughter to him and had worked closely with him for about three years.
The minister clarified that the deceased was a nurse employed by the Federal University of Health Sciences, Ebonyi State, and not a physiotherapist as earlier reported.
According to Umahi, Habila had a history of medical challenges and had been receiving treatment at a Turkish hospital, with him personally paying for her medical care. He disclosed that the latest payment for her treatment was N2.2 million on April 5.
Umahi said Habila complained of bleeding from her nose during a telephone conversation with her boyfriend shortly before she died.
He explained that the boyfriend advised her to seek medical attention but later ended the call. When he called back three minutes later, she no longer responded.
The minister added that Habila had informed her boyfriend that she intended to take a bath before communication ceased. When colleagues became concerned and forced open the locked room, they found her dead with the tap still running.
Umahi stressed that the guest house where the incident occurred was located far from his personal residence, insisting there was no basis for holding him responsible because the facility belonged to the Ministry of Works.
He appealed to Habila’s family to permit an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death, revealing that he had directed that her body should not be released for burial until the procedure was carried out.
The minister also disclosed that he had requested the Inspector-General of Police to transfer the investigation to Abuja to ensure a thorough probe and facilitate discussions with the deceased’s family.
He further urged investigators to examine the telephone records between Habila and her boyfriend, saying the conversation could provide valuable information about her final moments.
Maintaining that investigations should continue, Umahi said there was currently no evidence of criminal activity.
He also criticised the circulation of photographs allegedly taken at the mortuary, accusing some police officers of leaking misleading images, and vowed to pursue legal action against media organisations and individuals he accused of cyberbullying the deceased and spreading false information.
Police investigations into the circumstances surrounding Habila’s death are ongoing, while an autopsy has yet to be conducted due to the family’s reported cultural objections.
