Mary Habila: Police Take Fresh Action on 'physiotherapist' Who Died at Umahi's Residence
- Ebonyi State Police announced plans to commission a pathologist to conduct an autopsy on Mary Habila, a physiotherapist who died at Minister Dave Umahi's Uburu residence
- Police spokesperson Joshua Ukandu said the autopsy would proceed despite the family's objection, citing the need to establish the actual cause of death
- Habila was brought dead to David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital on June 27, where she had been attached to the minister
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The Ebonyi State Police Command has announced it will proceed with an autopsy on the body of Mary Habila, a physiotherapist who died at the Uburu home of Minister of Works Dave Umahi, even after her family declined to consent to the procedure.
Police spokesperson Joshua Ukandu, a superintendent of police, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday, July 16, saying the autopsy was necessary to determine the true cause of Ms Habila's death.
Source: Twitter
Mr Ukandu acknowledged the family's objection but maintained that the examination remained essential to the investigation, stating that the command was set to engage the services of a qualified pathologist to carry out the procedure, Premium Times reported.
Analyst speaks
Reacting to the death of Habila, Preach Ojukwu while speaking with Legit.ng on Sunday, July 19, said:
"Nigerians wonder aloud: Can a full forensic probe still happen independently? What really unfolded behind those doors in those critical hours? Reputation hangs in the balance.
"Umahi’s call for autopsy is welcome, but public trust demands answers, not silence or rushed closure. Was it natural causes, as he believes? An accident? Or something darker? Until science speaks through an unimpeachable autopsy, the whispers will only grow louder. Nigerians deserve truth, not speculation, not cover-up fears, not political weaponization. The Umahi household, police, and family must come fully clean.
"The body’s location, chain of custody, and independent forensic results are non-negotiable. In a country where power often shields the powerful, this case tests whether justice still has a voice. Watch closely, the tide of questions isn’t receding. It’s rising."
Death at the minister's residence
Ms Habila, who was assigned to Mr Umahi in a professional capacity, was brought dead to the David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital in Uburu, Ebonyi State, on June 27.
Legit.ng had earlier reported on the circumstances surrounding her death, raising questions about what transpired at the minister's residence before she was conveyed to the hospital.
The police have not stated publicly whether they are treating the death as suspicious, but the insistence on conducting an autopsy over the family's objections signals that investigators consider a formal medical examination indispensable before any conclusions can be drawn.
Source: Legit.ng
