An Investigation by CBI News.

The death of Mary Habila, a young nurse attached to the medical team of Nigeria’s Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has triggered a national conversation over unanswered questions, forensic evidence and the search for truth.

Mary died in June 2026 at a private residence in Uburu, Ebonyi State, during a trip with members of the minister’s medical team. While investigations continue, the circumstances surrounding her death remain unclear.

At the centre of the controversy is one question that begs to be answered: “Should Mary Habila’s remains undergo an autopsy?”

The police say a forensic examination is necessary to establish the cause of death. Mary’s family disagrees and has requested the release of her remains for burial.

No individual has been charged, and no investigation has publicly established that anyone was responsible for her death.

A Nurse Behind the Headlines

As the death of Mary Habila became a topic of public debate, CBI News reached out to sympathise with the family and also to get to understand the reason behind the decision to not carry out an autopsy to ascertain the cause of death.

First was her fiancé, Mr Joseph Sani, who is not only mourning her demise, but also exposed to the harsh reality of social media. Beyond calls for justice, many users speculated, without evidence, that she was romantically involved with Minister David Umahi, with some describing her as a "side chick," "runs girl," or "hookup girl."

The comments reflect a familiar pattern in Nigeria, where young women who die in unclear or high-profile circumstances are often subjected to moral judgment before the facts are established. While none of these claims has been substantiated by investigators, they show how quickly public attention can shift from seeking answers about a woman's death to questioning her character.

A call through to her father, Pastor Wisdom Habila, a Pastor with the Deeper Life Bible Church, Sambang Gida, Jaba Local Government Area of Kaduna State perched the CBI News team to the family’s legal representative, Barrister K.A. Yusuf, who revealed that Mary was a trained nurse who had worked with the minister’s medical team for about three years.

He rejected claims circulating online questioning her profession and character, describing her as a hardworking and dedicated medical professional, claims that were corroborated by people who knew her.

According to him, Mary became part of the medical team after members of the minister’s family recognised her commitment to her duties.

The Final Hours

According to the account provided by the legal representative, Mary travelled from Abuja to Ebonyi State on June 24, 2026. Two days later, she travelled to Abakaliki to make her hair and returned later that evening with her colleague, Anita Baaki, reportedly the last person known to have had physical contact with her since they both shared the same apartment but different rooms.

Mary later moved to another room because of better network coverage, so she could speak with her fiancé, Joseph Sani, to whom she told during the conversation that she was experiencing nosebleeds. He advised her to take care of herself, and that happened to be the last time she spoke to anyone else.

The following morning, concerned over her absence during breakfast, Anita reportedly went to Mary’s room, knocked repeatedly and received no response. After efforts to locate her failed, police officers were invited before the locked room was opened around 11:30 Am, where she was found on the ground, rushed to the hospital and was pronounced dead on arrival.

The Autopsy Dispute

The biggest disagreement in the investigation has centred on whether a post-mortem examination should be carried out. The court of public opinion argues that an autopsy is necessary to determine whether Mary died from natural causes, medical complications, poisoning, injury or any other factor.

The family has opposed the procedure and requested that her remains be released for burial. The legal representative told CBI News that her father was uncomfortable with the procedure and wanted his daughter’s body laid intact, citing personal submission to the will of God.

Individuals and organisations to include the Ebonyi State Police Command, Minister of Works Dave Umahi himself, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the Nigerian Women International Alliance (NWIA), human rights activist Omoyele Sowore, and student bodies such as the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and the National Association of University Students (NAUS), all call for transparent forensic investigation before the case is concluded.

The Medication Question

While buttressing a point that Mary was on self-medication, CBI News obtained medications allegedly linked to Mary and sought the opinions of two medical practitioners who revealed that the drugs appeared to be associated with conditions including asthma, allergies, malaria treatment and gastrointestinal issues.

However, they warned that the medications alone could not determine the cause of death. One practitioner said, “I can see she’s asthmatic and she’s also taking drugs for allergy and so on. But I’m not sure she’s taking all those drugs at the same time.”

The personnel also said none of the reviewed medications appeared to be blood thinners capable of directly causing severe bleeding. They stressed that only a proper medical examination could establish what happened.

Community Seeks Clarity

Mary’s community, through the Nok Community Development Association (NCDA), through its President, Elisha Musa, said it was grieving but waiting for direction from her family before taking any formal position. The community leader told CBI News that the family remained closest to the facts surrounding the case but cannot interfere without the family’s consent.

However, he said that if there was credible suspicion surrounding Mary’s death, then a proper investigation, including an autopsy, would be necessary.

“If there is any suspicion and they are feeling that there should be justice through investigation by autopsy, no way as I am the national president that I cannot second,” he said.

The Affidavit That Raised More Questions

The family's decision to oppose an autopsy has become one of the most contentious aspects of the investigation. While the Ebonyi State Police Command, Minister Dave Umahi, civil society organisations and opposition figures have all called for a forensic examination, the father's affidavit seeking the release of Mary's body without one has fuelled public speculation.

Some social media users alleged, without evidence, that the family acted under financial inducement or pressure. Others questioned whether the affidavit reflected the family's true wishes and argued that an autopsy could help resolve public suspicion surrounding the case and clear all those involved.

CBI News found no evidence to support claims of financial inducement or coercion, and neither the family nor the minister has acknowledged any such arrangement. For now, those claims remain speculation, not fact.

Dave Umahi, Public Scrutiny and the Questions That Remain

The Mary Habila case has unfolded against the backdrop of a public official no stranger to controversy.

Dave Umahi, former governor of Ebonyi State and now Nigeria's Minister of Works, is widely credited by supporters for delivering major infrastructure projects, yet throughout his political career, he has also faced repeated public scrutiny over issues of accountability and governance. Umahi has consistently denied wrongdoing, maintaining that many of the allegations against him are politically motivated.

Among the most prominent controversies was a dispute with businesswoman Tracy Ohiri, who accused him of failing to pay for campaign promotional materials and made personal allegations against him. Umahi denied the claims, describing them as false and defamatory, and the dispute eventually became the subject of legal proceedings.

Over the years, unverified claims have also circulated on social media alleging that some workers connected to construction projects in Ebonyi State disappeared while on duty. CBI News found no official police findings, court judgments, or independently verified evidence to substantiate those claims, and they remain allegations rather than facts.

None of these controversies proves any wrongdoing in Mary Habila's death. They do, however, help explain why her death has attracted such intense public attention and why calls for transparency have continued to grow.

A Burial Postponed, Questions Unanswered

Mary Habila was expected to be buried on Friday, 17th June, 2026, but the burial has been postponed indefinitely, a decision many believe reflects the growing public demand for a thorough and transparent investigation.

Whether public pressure influenced that decision remains unclear. What is clear, however, is that an independent autopsy offers the best opportunity to establish the cause of her death, separate fact from speculation, protect the innocent if no foul play occurred, or preserve evidence if it did.

Mary Habila was a daughter, a nurse and a young woman whose death has left more questions than answers. Until those questions are resolved through credible scientific evidence, justice will remain incomplete not within the family domain alone, but in the heart of everyone who seeks truth, justice, and closure!

Beevan Magoni

b.dauda@cbidigitalmedia.com