Mary Habila: Last Words of 'Nurse' Who Died At Umahi's Residence Emerge
- Minister of Works David Umahi disclosed that nurse Habila pleaded with her boyfriend not to end their phone call moments before she was found unresponsive
- Umahi said he personally paid about N2.2 million for Habila's medical treatment at a Turkish hospital as recently as April 5
- The minister requested the Inspector-General of Police to transfer the investigation to Abuja and called on Habila's family to permit an autopsy
Minister of Works Senator David Umahi has broken his silence over the death of Habila, a registered nurse and staff member of the Federal Medical University, describing the final moments of her life through a phone conversation she had with her boyfriend shortly before she was found unresponsive.
Umahi said Habila contacted her boyfriend that morning to let him know she was about to bathe.
Source: Twitter
She later called him again, this time reporting that she was bleeding from the nose. Her boyfriend advised her to seek help and suggested that staying on the call could aggravate the bleeding, PRemium Times reported.
"He then told her he would end the call, but she pleaded with him, saying, 'Don't cut the call.' He eventually ended the call, and when he called back about three minutes later, she was no longer responding," Umahi said.
When those nearby grew worried by her silence, they forced the door open and found the tap still running.
Umahi distances himself from foul play claims
The minister firmly rejected allegations connecting him or his lodgings to the incident.
He said Habila and a fellow female medical worker had been staying in a guest house that was situated well away from where he was housed, and accused those spreading contrary narratives of political motivations.
"I don't suspect any foul play. She was one of my best workers, a nurse who administered medication to us, even at my residence in Asokoro. It is painful because she was like a daughter to me," he said.
Umahi said Habila had lived with his family for three years and that he had taken an active role in managing her health, Daily Trust reported.
He noted that her medical records from a Turkish hospital documented ongoing treatment, with her most recent visit on April 5 costing approximately N2.2 million, an amount he said he covered personally.
He also clarified that Habila was a registered nurse and not a physiotherapist, as had been reported in some quarters.
Autopsy and investigation
Umahi said he has asked the Inspector-General of Police to move the investigation to Abuja in the interest of transparency. He also directed investigators to obtain call logs from both Habila and her boyfriend to corroborate his account of their final conversation.
On the question of an autopsy, the minister appealed to Habila's family to reconsider their objection, which he said was rooted in cultural concerns.
"I am begging the family to meet with the Inspector-General of Police so they can be convinced to allow the autopsy. We have directed that the body should not be released until that is done," he said.
Umahi condemned what he characterised as deliberate attempts to politicise the nurse's death and urged the public to allow the investigation to proceed without interference.
Mary Habila: Police take action
Previously, Legit.ng reported that the Ebonyi State Police Command 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: Legit.ng
