David Umahi Requests Autopsy on Mary Habila Following Death at His Ebonyi Residence.

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has formally requested that the Nigeria Police Force conduct a forensic autopsy on Mary Habila, a staff member who died at his residence in Uburu, Ebonyi State, on June 27, 2026.

Umahi urged the police to engage qualified forensic pathologists to determine the exact cause of Habila's death and ensure that the investigation is conducted in a transparent and professional manner.

The request was contained in a letter signed by the minister's legal representatives, Roy O. Umahi and Roy D. Umahi (SAN), and made available to journalists in Abuja on Thursday.

According to the letter, Habila was an employee of the David Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences, Uburu, who had been deployed on secondment to the Federal Ministry of Works in Mabushi, Abuja.

The lawyers explained that she died in a building located within the minister's residential compound at Umunaga, Uburu, in Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

They clarified, however, that the building where the incident occurred is designated for accommodating members of the minister's staff and other personnel attached to his office and is separate from the private residence occupied by Umahi.

According to the letter, Habila and another female physiotherapist were the only occupants of the staff accommodation on the night of the incident.

Umahi also requested that the police should not release Habila's body to anyone, including her next of kin, Tanko Habila Wisdom, from Sabon Gari, Nok, Jaba Local Government Area of Kaduna State, until the autopsy and other investigative procedures have been completed.

The minister stated that the request was necessary to preserve the integrity of the investigation, eliminate speculation and ensure that the circumstances surrounding the staff member's death are fully established before burial arrangements are made.

He further urged the Nigeria Police Force to handle the matter with urgency and professionalism in the interest of justice.

The request comes amid ongoing public interest in the circumstances surrounding Habila's death, with authorities continuing efforts to determine the events that led to the incident.