Minister of Works, David Umahi, has dismissed allegations linking him to the death of his aide, Mary Habila, insisting he suspects no foul play and describing attempts to implicate him as politically motivated.
Speaking during a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday, Umahi described the deceased as “like a daughter,” saying she had lived and worked with his family for about three years and was one of his most trusted staff members.
He clarified that Habila was a nurse employed by the Federal University of Health Sciences, Ebonyi State, and not a physiotherapist as widely reported.
The minister disclosed that Habila had battled health challenges before her death, noting that he personally paid ₦2.2 million for her treatment at a Turkish hospital in April and that her medical records were available.
Umahi said Habila spoke with her boyfriend shortly before she died and reportedly complained of a nosebleed, which later stopped. According to him, the boyfriend ended the call after advising her to seek medical attention, but when he called back a few minutes later, she did not respond.
He added that Habila had told her boyfriend she was about to take a bath. When colleagues became concerned after she could no longer be reached, they forced open her locked room and found her dead, with the tap still running.
The minister stressed that the guest house where the incident occurred was separate from his personal residence, arguing that it was unfair to hold him responsible simply because the facility belonged to the Ministry of Works.
Umahi appealed to Habila’s family to allow 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 examination was conducted.
He said investigators had encountered resistance from the family, who reportedly opposed the procedure on cultural grounds, but maintained that an autopsy was necessary to establish the truth.
The minister also disclosed that he requested the Inspector-General of Police to transfer the investigation to Abuja to ensure a thorough and transparent probe while urging investigators to examine the final phone conversations between Habila and her boyfriend.
Umahi said he had seen no evidence suggesting criminal involvement, noting that another woman was reportedly sleeping in the same room and that the door had been locked from the inside before it was forced open.
He also criticised the circulation of mortuary photographs of the deceased, accusing some police officers of leaking misleading images, and vowed to pursue legal action against individuals and media organisations he accused of spreading false information and cyberbullying.
The death of Habila has sparked widespread public interest and calls for an independent investigation, while police inquiries continue. An autopsy, regarded by investigators as crucial to determining the cause of death, has yet to be carried out due to objections from the deceased’s family.